Hard To Get
by idiotique
Summary: Roxas never believed in love - that is, until he meets his boss' new assistant. There is a slight problem, however: she's hopelessly in love with another guy.
1. Prologue: Stupid Worthless Boy

_A/N: Here is the first chapter of the most voted AU in the poll! Hope you guys will like this story =)_

_--_

**Stupid Worthless Boy.**

I stare at my clock radio. My thumbs are twiddling impatiently and my knee is bouncing up and down.

Eleven o'clock in the morning.

One hour.

That's enough time, I think.

I take a five-minute shower and scramble into my closet, hastily changing into a black suit, white dress shirt and black tie. I check my appearance in the full-length mirror: an exhausted, frustrated twenty-three-year old is staring back at me with shadowy semicircles underneath his blue eyes. His hopelessly messy blond spikes are sticking up and out like always. Faint memories of thin, pale fingers running through those blond spikes flash before my eyes, and a lump forms in my throat.

I shake my head, ridding myself of the memories, and head back into the bedroom. My eyes dart to the clock radio - forty-five minutes.

Did I have enough time to eat? I jog into the kitchen and shove a piece of toast into the toaster. While I'm waiting I grab the nearly-empty jar of Nutella sitting by itself on the topmost shelf in the pantry, and I reach into the fridge for the milk. As I'm doing all of this more memories flash into my head: giggling, milk mustaches, licking Nutella from the tips of thin, pale fingers…

My phone rings, and the toast and I jump at exactly the same time. I pull the hot bread out and smear whatever was left of the Nutella before answering the call. I check the name on the call display: my best friend.

"Roxas?" Axel splutters frantically, and I chew my toast calmly, "Are you still coming?"

"I'm on my way," I assure him as I swallow the last piece of my toast, "Don't worry, I got this."

"You sound awfully calm."

"Why shouldn't I?" I ask as I down my glass of milk. I check the digital clock on the stove - half an hour.

"Well," Axel begins in a much more even tone, "I just want you to know you're wasting your time."

I roll my eyes - I've heard this so many times before. "Axel, how many times do I have to tell you; I _have_ to do this. I know this is what I'm supposed to do."

"You tell me the same thing every time." He groans exasperatingly.

"I can easily say the same thing about you." I mutter as I head for the door. "Look, I gotta go. I'll be there soon."

"Wait, I think you're misinterpreting me," He says as I lock my door, "You don't have to do this, Roxas. She's-"

"There's no point in trying to convince me - you should know this by now," I tell him firmly as I walk into the elevator, "I know now, Axel - I belong with her. She's mine. I can't let her go. I need her." My chest twitches in pain but I ignore it. I lean against the wall and watch the numbers of the floor indicator go down, down, down…

I hear giggling again, and the twitching continues.

_"A kiss for every floor…"_

"Roxas?" Axel's voice jolts me back to the present, and I blink wordlessly.

"Y-yeah?" I check the time again. Twenty-two minutes. I shake my head. "Listen, I'm heading out now. I'll see you soon."

"Wait-" I cancel the call and shove my phone into my pocket as the elevator doors slide open, revealing the underground parking lot of my apartment. I race towards my car, fishing my keys out and unlocking the door. When the engine growls to life my eyes shift to the time on the dashboard.

Seventeen minutes.

My palms grow sweaty as I speed out of the parking lot, squinting a bit when the sun hits my eyes. I turn a little too sharply and veer into the busy city street, my heart pounding like rain in my ears.

I screech to a halt when the light turns red; the guy behind is staring at me strangely though my rearview mirror, wondering why I'm driving like a maniac. I turn my head and gaze at the vacant passenger seat beside me; giggling fills my senses for the third time today, and I cringe.

_"A kiss for every red light…"_

The guy behind me honks impatiently, and I glance up to see that the light has turned green. I swallow nervously and zip down the street, not caring if I'm going twenty over the speed limit. I check the time again.

Ten minutes.

I belong to no one but her.

She needs to know.

I need to tell her before it's too late.

I cut another corner and step on the gas; I think I'm almost flooring it. My hands are trembling as I try to steady my grip on the wheel. The giggling is getting louder now and my eyes are starting to sting.

I'm hers.

She's got me wrapped around her finger and she doesn't even care.

I need her to know that I'm hers.

I'm here, finally. I drive straight into the nearest available parking spot, almost forgetting to turn off the engine. I slam the door shut and scramble out of the blacktop and onto the marble steps.

Five minutes.

I need her to know.

I take a deep breath and place my hands on the tall double doors.

I'm hers and hers alone.

Four minutes.

I push them open, and everyone in the church turns to stare at me.

--

_A/N: So how's the prologue? Is it interesting enough?_

_I hope you guys like it so far - it was another plotbunny that jumped into my head after watching _500 Days of Summer _a billion times in a row XD_

_Please review, I'd love you if you do =)_

_Chapter Inspiration: _Story of a Lonely Guy _by _blink-182.


	2. You Don't Even Know Yet

**You Don't Even Know Yet.**

If someone asked me what my opinion of love was before all of this happened, I would've probably said something completely different from what I would say now.

Because exactly one year ago, I never believed in love.

I thought it was ridiculous. Pointless. Obsolete. Corny. I didn't get how it was important to other people. I didn't understand how some couldn't even live without it. Frankly, it never appealed to me. I didn't want to have anything to do with it.

What was the point, anyways? I liked my life the way it was. I had a great job that paid enough for me to afford not only my bills but also a cozy penthouse suite in the heart of the city and a fast car. I had friends and family who cared for me - sometimes a little too much - and in return I cared for them. I couldn't ask for anything more - I didn't _want_ anything more, to be honest.

I honestly thought my life was complete. Complete at twenty-two.

Well, it seemed complete at the time.

"Ow!" I exasperatingly glared down at the little copper-haired girl sitting on my lap and exhaled sharply. "Miyo!"

The toddler giggled cutely, glancing up at me with her mother's lavender eyes. She reached upwards, grabbed a nice fistful of my hair and tugged on it. _Hard._

"Argh," I groaned as I tried to pry her fingers away from me; not too far away her twin brother was sitting on the floor, banging the television remote control against the glass coffee table. I glanced over Miyo's shoulder and sighed. "Koji, you're gonna break that…" I wasn't sure what I was referring to - the remote control or the coffee table. Maybe both.

Now, don't get me wrong - I adore my niece and nephew, but if I had to do this on a daily basis I didn't think I'd be able to handle it. Kids were only a part-time enjoyment for me, which was why once every week was already more than enough. I don't even know why I agreed to let Sora dump his kids at my place every Sunday; maybe I'm too nice.

I placed Miyo on the couch and stood up to approach her brother, who was banging the remote even harder now. I knelt to his level and gently tried to take it away from him. "Koji-"

"No!" He glared at me with fierce violet eyes, and I sighed. He had his dad's stubbornness, that was for sure.

"Koji," I tried again," Please give it back to me. I'll get you something, er, less-breakable to play with - I promise."

He stopped banging for a bit, staring at the remote control in his pudgy hands. Seconds later he returned his stare to me; he grinned, making him look even more like his father, and shook his head. "No."

I smacked my palm against my face. "Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No." He pressed random buttons; the flatscreen television was rapidly changing channels, and the volume fluctuated at extreme levels.

"...With a cherry on top?"

"Mm...no."

Miyo giggled from the couch, and I groaned in defeat. The door rang seconds afterward, and I exhaled in relief; finally. I raced to the door and practically ripped it open; when I spotted my own twin brother and his wife smiling by the doorway I couldn't help but smile myself.

"You don't know how happy I am to see the both of you." I sighed in relief, and Sora and Kairi laughed at me.

"They didn't give you _that_ much trouble, did they?" Kairi made her way towards her daughter and scooped her up in her arms. Miyo laughed as her mother leaned in to blow a raspberry on her tummy. "They love you, Roxas - they don't have the heart to give you a bad time."

"They weren't so bad," I shrugged, reaching behind my head to ruffle my hair, "They always find new ways to keep me entertained, though."

"Hey, d'you mind if I drop them off Thursday evening? I'm working late that night and Kairi's got a meeting with a client 'till eightish or so." Sora had gathered Koji up in his arms; the miniature, copper-haired, lavender-eyed version of my brother was giggling as his dad affectionately nuzzled his head against his own.

I shrugged again and stuck my hands in my pockets. "Yeah, that's fine. I'm not gonna be busy anyway."

"Well, in all honesty you should be," Kairi smirked, "This is what you get for being the only single person in the group - everyone dumps their kids on you when they're too busy. You should take this as a sign!"

"Yeah, bro," Sora chuckled as I rolled my eyes, "You should get Axel to set you up again."

Memories of my high school and college days flashed before my eyes, and I flushed a light pink. "No thanks," I answered almost immediately, "I've had just about enough of those, and besides - what's wrong with being single? I like the way my life is right now!"

"You're twenty-two, Roxas," Kairi pointed out, "Almost everyone you know is either married, engaged or in a relationship. Don't you think it's about time you started looking for someone to spend the rest of your life with?"

"Seriously, man, what do you have against girls?" Sora shook his head, "Is there something you're not telling me?" He eyed me suspiciously, and it made me feel a little self-conscious.

"No, it's nothing like that," I replied hastily, "It's just the actual _thought_ of being in a relationship, y'know? It doesn't appeal to me much - and then there's the whole commitment thing and the possibility of breaking up," I shook my head, "It's just too much to handle. I don't know how you guys do it with all that stuff happening at the same time."

"I think you're looking at it wrong," My brother replied as we headed towards the front door, "I mean, I understand the fear of commitment and the risk of the relationship not working out, but you don't really think about those things when you're _in_ the moment, if y'know what I mean."

"I don't, actually. Sorry."

Sora rolled his eyes. "I don't think you're giving this a chance, Roxas. Remember high school? Nearly every girl swooned over you, and some were really nice! You never gave any of them a second glance."

I shrugged. "None of them stood out to me, I guess."

Sora's eyes narrowed again. "Are you sure you're not secretly gay?"

Kairi giggled as my cheeks flared up in embarrassment; Koji and Miyo were exchanging looks of confusion.

"There's tons of people out there who've lived their lives without getting married." I muttered stubbornly as I opened the door for them.

"And a lot of them died lonely and miserable." My brother's wife countered, and Sora threw his head back to laugh heartily.

"Not _all_ of them," I scoffed, "I'm not gonna be one of them, that's for sure." I sighed and rumpled my hair. "So I guess I'll be seeing you guys Thursday?"

"Yep," Sora nodded; he bounced Koji in his arms, "Say goodbye to your uncle, Koji."

The copper-haired infant waved and grinned toothily in my direction, and I reached towards him to tousle his hair. "See you in a few days, Koji." I turned towards Kairi and bent down a little to peck Miyo on the cheek, and I smiled when she giggled and shyly turned her head away. "You too, Miyo."

"Bye-bye." She waved a small hand as Kairi made her way out the door; Sora followed suit, and in mere seconds I was by myself. I closed the door and leaned against it, sighing and glancing around my apartment: now that the kids were gone everything looked bigger than before for some reason, and aside from the TV playing in the background the air was eerily quiet. Usually I'd shrug it off, but today was different. Maybe Sora and Kairi's words were finally getting through to me? I wasn't so sure.

I glanced at the time on the stove - it was only three in the afternoon. What was there to do? I contemplated on calling Axel to see what he was up to, but chances were he was probably busy with Larxene. I thought about Hayner, but then I remembered how he and Olette just got married so they were most likely doing their own thing. If only Pence still lived in the city - he would've probably wanted to do something.

I tried to think of other people I could've possibly hung out with but they either lived too far away or I didn't know them well enough to casually call and randomly ask if they weren't busy. I sighed and trudged over to the couch, falling face-first and exhaling slowly.

I wasn't lonely.

I had everything anyone could possibly want - a stable job, a nice place, a sporty car, great friends and family…

_I think you mean friends who _have_ families, _my conscience chided, and I shook my head furiously.

I didn't need a life partner; I didn't need to be with someone for _the rest of my life._ All that crap sounded so corny, so cliché. I didn't want to be a cliché.

I didn't believe in love back then.

--

My clock radio was beeping obnoxiously into my left ear but I kept my eyes clamped shut, refusing to acknowledge the start of a new week. After five minutes I groaned and slammed my fist on the radio, rising to a sitting position and rubbing my fatigued face with my other hand. I dragged myself into the bathroom to take a quick shower, and then stumbled sleepily into my closet to dress up for the day.

I dressed in the usual black dress pants, black sport coat and white-collar shirt; I chose a cyan-coloured tie and tied it quickly. I frowned at my appearance in the full-length mirror: my hair was a hopeless, spiky mess. I brushed my fingers through it, flattening it with my palm; it stayed down for a few seconds before sticking straight up again. I sighed and shook my head as I made my way out of the closet.

I checked my phone for the time; I still had fifteen minutes before I had to leave, so I decided to make myself some breakfast. I made some toast and poured myself a glass of orange juice; I spread butter over the hot bread and watched it melt.

I was going to be on time today. I whistled tunelessly to myself as I locked my door and rode the elevator down to the parking garage. My slick black sedan was waiting for me in its usual parking space, and I unlocked the doors with a push of a button. I turned the radio on as I drove out into the street.

It was a twenty-minute drive to the financial district, where our company's main headquarters was - where I worked as the company's youngest executive. I guess I just got lucky; Axel nabbed an exec job right after he graduated, and once I got a degree of my own I gave him my resumé. The rest was pretty much history.

Being an executive I had my own reserved parking space; I noticed Axel's car already eased into its own space when I turned off the engine. I grabbed my briefcase from the passenger's seat and sauntered towards the elevator.

It was a thirty-six floor ride to the executive offices. A few minutes later I stepped into a hallway with modern-looking architecture; the walls were a pearly white, the floors were a shiny black marble and most of the furniture was made out of stainless steel. I gave the secretary a polite nod as I walked past her; she gave me an introverted smile and ducked her head behind the manilla folder in her hands.

Just as I turned the corner I felt a hand against the back of my shoulder. "Heya," Axel grinned, "How was your weekend?"

I shrugged as we continued walking down the hall. The doors to our offices were a clear, shiny glass - that was one disadvantage of being an executive. Thing is, I thought being an executive meant you got more privacy… "Eh, didn't do much. Babysat."

My best friend snickered. "How unfortunate. You could be doing something more productive with your life, y'know."

I eyed him wearily. "Like what?"

The redhead laughed again. "Oh, y'know what I'm talking about." He sighed and shook his head. "You need to get out there, Roxas. Meet new people. You've been holing yourself up in, well, _yourself_ for...I can't even keep count of the years anymore!"

I rolled my eyes as we walked into my office. I placed my bag on top of my desk, pulled out my laptop and plopped down on my cushiony leather chair. "You and Sora keep saying the same things over and over again," I chuckled as I booted up my computer, "After all these years I thought you'd both figure out that it's no use in trying to convince me anymore."

"Well, like your brother I still have hope for you," Axel smirked as he leaned against the side of my desk with his arms crossed, "I know the right one's out there for you somewhere - we just haven't been looking hard enough."

"Right. Well, when you find her be sure to say hi for me." I smiled innocently, and I laughed when Axel rolled his eyes. I checked my email and raised an eyebrow when I found one from our boss. "We have a meeting today?"

"We do?" Axel rounded the desk and peered over my shoulder. "Oh...we do."

"It says it starts at nine." I read carefully. When I heard my redheaded friend gulp I glanced at him suspiciously. "What?"

"Er," He jutted his chin towards the time on my computer screen, "It's nine-oh-two."

And I thought I was going to be on time today! "Shit," I muttered as I practically leapt out of my chair. Axel wrenched the glass door open and we dashed frantically down the hallway to the meeting room on the opposite end; the door was closed, which meant a meeting was in session. _Shit._

"Why does this always have to happen on a freaking Monday?" I groaned as we skidded to a stop in front of the glass door; the other executives were seated around the white circular table with bored expressions on their faces.

"Okay, deep breath." Axel's shoulders shrunk as he inhaled slowly, and he pushed the door open. Just as we expected, eleven pairs of eyes immediately shifted in our direction.

"Ah, Mister Yamanaka and Mister Atsumori," Our boss, Xemnas, greeted us with open arms and a disturbingly kind smile, "How nice of you to join us."

The both of us flushed in embarrassment as we shuffled over to our chairs; Demyx, who sat across from me and beside Axel, was chuckling under his breath. Axel smacked the back of his head.

"We were just discussing this past month's progress," Xemnas explained as he absently straightened his silver tie, "Sales have increased not just twice, but nearly four times as much as the previous month. Mister Yamanaka, I believe you're responsible for this."

Everyone's heads turned in Axel's direction; his face was nearly as red as his hair. "Heh," He chuckled nervously, "Well...what can I say? I'm full of charm."

"Sure, if that's what you want to call it." Larxene, who was sitting beside me, muttered; everyone, even Xemnas laughed.

My best friend leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, and gave her a flirtatious wink. "You can call it whatever you want, babe."

Larxene rolled her eyes, though she was grinning. I sighed and leaned back against my chair; those two seriously needed to get a room.

There was a quiet knock on the glass door. Xemnas nodded, and whoever it was that knocked pushed the door open. I leaned into my palm, letting my eyes drop half-closed. I eyed Axel across the table; he was staring at our intruder with intrigued eyes. When I looked around the table I noticed everyone else was doing the same thing.

"Everyone," Xemnas spoke up, "I'd like you to meet my new assistant." He paused, and I looked up.

A young woman around my age was standing timidly beside him; she barely reached his shoulders. "H-hi," She waved nervously around the room, "I'm Naminé Nakasato. It's...it's nice to meet you all."

Demyx and Xigbar waved back dazedly. "Hi Naminé," They smiled goofily, and she stifled a giggle behind thin, pale fingers.

Luxord leaned forward and slowly eyed her up and down. "Pleasure to meet you." He greeted suavely, and her almost-white cheeks turned crimson.

"I'm sure she'll have a pleasant time with us here." Xemnas smiled; he leaned towards her to murmur something, and she showed him the small pile of files cradled in her arms. I noticed how her platinum-blonde bangs hung over her large, grey-blue eyes and the way she bit the bottom of her lip as she listened to my boss speak. I strained my ears and I could hear the light tinkling of her soft voice. I watched her fingers drum absently against the papers she was holding.

I could feel Axel's eyes on me, and I immediately turned away from her.

"I hope I'll be seeing you again soon." Naminé threw one last smile around the room before shuffling out. I resisted the urge to turn around in my seat.

"Okay," My boss clapped his hands together, "Now where were we?"

I shook my head and tried to pay attention to the rest of the meeting. I could hear practically half of the room chuckling under their breath, but I ignored them.

How old were they, seriously?

--

_Chapter Inspiration: The second half of this chapter needed more inspiration than the first, haha - _She's Got You High _by Mumm-Ra._

_Review, please and thank you =)_


	3. Strange And Likable

**Strange and Likable.**

As the week dragged on I saw little of my boss' new assistant, but it wasn't like I cared. She was an assistant and nothing more - a new girl. I didn't have time to talk to assistants; I spent most of my day emailing and talking to clients. I was too busy to interact with her.

It was Thursday now, and I was attempting to do work. Of course, Axel decided to slack off and was lounging around in my office. It didn't help that Larxene and Demyx tagged along too.

"Mansex never had an assistant before," Larxene leaned against the wall and crossed her hands behind her head, "I wonder why he needs one now?"

"Beats me," Demyx shrugged, "She's really hot, though."

"Oh c'mon," Axel cackled, "It's kinda obvious." He thrust his hips jokingly and made inappropriate moaning noises, "Ungh, Xemnas...don't stop - harder, _harder...ohhhh!"_ Larxene and Demyx burst out in laughter.

This was the first time they ever decided to talk about the assistant - _Naminé..._was that her name? - ever since we first saw her on Monday...at least with me. I didn't know if they talked about her when I wasn't around.

I rolled my eyes and tried to concentrate on my computer. "Grow up, you guys."

"What, are you disagreeing with us?" Larxene raised an eyebrow, and I ducked behind my computer screen, "Ooh, I think someone has a crush."

"Do not," I muttered indignantly, "Besides, I only saw her for, like, ten seconds."

"Then it must be a love-at-first-sight-thing," My best friend snickered, "'Cause you were ogling her the entire time she was talking to the boss man! D'you guys remember that? HAH!"

My three coworkers nearly collapsed on the floor from laughing so hard, and I rolled my eyes. "You're ridiculous. She's just an assistant - I bet she won't last long. I'll give her a month." It happened all the time in TV shows and movies, so I figured real life wouldn't be any different.

"Well, it depends on when Mansex gets tired of her...if y'know what I mean." Axel winked and playfully nudged Demyx with his elbow. The three of them laughed again, and I rolled my eyes. How these guys ended up as executives, I'll never figure out.

"Don't you guys have work to do or something?" I asked grumpily, raising a hand to run my fingers through my hair. I really just wanted to be by myself for at least the remainder of the morning; I could feel a headache coming on and having them joking around like a bunch of high school kids wasn't going to help at all.

"Yeah, yeah," Larxene waved her hand, "We're going. Geez - what a party pooper."

"Have fun fantasizing about our boss' sex slave! Be sure to close the blinds - your door and front wall are all glass, remember?" Axel jeered before closing the glass door behind him, and I groaned.

At least the office was quiet now. I sighed and shook my head, blinking rapidly in a vain attempt to take the impending headache away. After a few minutes the pain only got worse, so I decided to fetch something to drink.

I made my way towards the lounge room, where the water cooler was. Nobody was here, as usual. I bent over the water cooler, grabbing a paper cup from the dispenser and pressing down on the small blue handle. I gulped the tiny cup in less than a second.

The drink really did help; I filled up another cup, and after draining that one I filled another. As soon as I crumpled the sixth cup into my fist I heard someone laugh softly from behind me.

"Someone's thirsty."

I whirled around and came face-to-face with my boss' sex slave - er, _assistant. _"Uh," I gaped stupidly, "Hi."

Naminé's heels clacked hesitantly against the tiled floor as she stepped towards me; she hugged a small pile of files to her chest and glanced up at me from beneath her long, dark eyelashes. I was at least a head taller than her, I noticed. "I saw you in the meeting room on Monday, didn't I?"

I tossed the crushed cup into the rubbish bin. "Er, yeah. So you're Mans-Xemnas' new assistant, huh?"

She dipped her head, nodding once. "Yup. Just got the job last week." She held out her hand, and I stared at it. "It's nice to meet you, by the way."

I grasped her hand firmly, and I couldn't help but notice how soft her skin felt against mine. An uncomfortable tingling sensation bubbled in my abdomen, and I gulped anxiously. Great… "I'm Roxas Atsumori. It's nice to meet you too, Naminé."

_Naminé._ I only noticed now how unusual of a name that was. It sounded so foreign, so old-fashioned. She slowly withdrew her hand from mine and absently reached upwards to brush her hair away from her ear - which was curled very slightly at the ends and flipped over her right shoulder, by the way. Why was I noticing all of these things? "Oh, you remembered my name!"

I smirked and crossed my arms. "It's not like the meeting happened ten years ago."

She smiled, and my palms suddenly began to itch. "You look very young for an executive," She giggled, "Actually, all of you do - and all of your names have an 'x' in them." She laughed again, and the tingling intensified. "I think I'm starting to see a pattern."

I swiped my fingers through my hair. "Yeah, all of us are pretty young - but we get the job done and that's what matters, right?" I noticed the way she bit her lip while I was talking, like she was eager to listen to what I had to say.

"Yes, I suppose so." She jostled the files in her arms. "Anyway, I gotta get these faxed. It was nice talking to you, Roxas."

"Bye." I mumbled pathetically just as she spun around to leave. Once she was out of sight I groaned and pressed my hand to my face. The tingly feeling in my stomach was gone, at least...but still - why was I even feeling it in the first place?

"You sly dog, you." My head snapped upwards and I spotted my best friend leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. "I knew you had the hots for the new girl."

"I don't," I spat, and my eyes narrowed when Axel didn't look convinced, "She's just a really nice person, that's all. She's _likable."_

"Likable. Right." His green eyes glinted underneath the fluorescent lighting. "I believe you." He strode over to my side and clapped my shoulder. "This is a good sign, Roxas - at least we know you're not gay. I mean, if you were I'd be cool with it and everything but honestly...you had Sora and I wondering for awhile."

I jerked away from him. "Idiot." I began to make my way back to my office. "She's just a girl; there are millions - no, _billions_ of girls inhabiting this planet, Axel. She's no different from any of them."

"If she wasn't any different how come you seemed interested when you were talking to her?" Axel was trailing behind me the entire way back.

"How did I seem interested? We were just having idle conversation - something people do _every day._ Just because I talked to the new girl doesn't mean we're meant to be!" I growled as I forced myself into my chair. I turned my computer on and composed a new email; I was supposed to get back to one of my clients on a deal we were discussing last week.

"Well, for one you looked like a total idiot," My head snapped upwards and I spotted Axel sitting in the chair across from me, staring nonchalantly up at the ceiling, "Laughing nervously and watching her every move - I've never seen you act like that before. You were like a fifteen-year-old boy talking to his childhood crush."

My cheeks flared up and I ducked behind my computer. "Okay, I admit she's pretty but that's it. She's pretty and nothing else. Are you satisfied?"

"No - anybody can look you in the eye and tell you they think someone looks pretty. It's meaningless." Axel leaned back in his chair and exhaled slowly. "You like her."

"No I don't." I hissed. In my head all I was thinking about was how she bit her bottom lip when she listened to me speak and how dark her eyelashes were in comparison to her hair.

"You should have lunch with her or something," My redheaded friend suggested, much to my chagrin, "She seems interested in you too."

"Axel," I glared over my computer, "I am _not_ interested in her. I'm not interested in _anybody!_ Why can't you just leave my private life alone? Go make out with Larxene or something!"

He seemed to be enjoying the fact that he was bringing me closer to breaking point. Axel leaned forward and rested his elbows on my desk, peering over the top of my computer with mischievous eyes. "Best friends are meant to meddle with each other's private lives." He smirked, and I exhaled sharply. "I'm not letting this go until I'm fully convinced that you're totally, honestly, one-hundred-percent _not_ interested in her."

The competitive streak in me pulsed excitedly. "Is that a challenge?" I asked in a low voice.

"Maybe." He leaned back and grinned.

"If I convince you, will you swear to never bother me about this again? No more blind dates, no more nagging…"

He held up a hand as if to swear an oath. "Scouts' honour," He smirked, "And if _I_ win you have to admit I was right the entire time, and that love really exists for everybody. You also have to refer to me as your superior...and you have to buy me lunch for a week."

"It's a challenge, then." I smirked back, crossing my arms. This was going to be easy, I could feel it; Axel should know by now that I wasn't the relationship-type of guy. I never had a girlfriend and I was never keen on getting one. I wasn't into relationships. I wasn't into being tied down.

I wasn't lonely.

"I'm gonna give you...oh...say a month and a half until you tell me you've fallen head over heels for her?" Axel chuckled, "I'm definitely gonna win this one; the affection's already beginning to blossom."

"I don't see how talking over the water cooler counts as any sort of affection."

"Oh, it is, my dear Roxas," My best friend grinned, "You just have to look at the finer details." He stood up and tugged on his tie. "Anyway, I got some work to do. Catch you later, Romeo." He gave me a playful wink before leaving my office.

I rolled my eyes and resumed my email. This shouldn't be hard - all I had to do was avoid her. The less I see her the less chance I have of interacting with her, therefore leaving very little room for attraction or - I cringed - affection to..._blossom._

I wasn't attracted to her, I was sure of that. She was pretty, though. I already admitted to that. Pretty, yes. She was pretty. Very pretty. The way her blonde hair started off straight but curled slightly at the ends, draping over her right shoulder - that was pretty. Her pale blue eyes and her long, dark eyelashes - those were pretty too. Her soft voice and her silvery laugh - yes, those were also pretty.

She was just _pretty._ Cute. Nice to look at.

Nothing more.

Axel was _so_ going to lose this bet.

--

Naturally, I had to tell Sora about this when he dropped by in the evening to pick up the kids.

"Wait, wait," He held up his hands; we were sitting in my kitchen, discussing the issue over some coffee, "So you're saying there's this new girl at work, and there's a possibility you might be _attracted_ to her?" He gasped in mock surprise - at least I thought it was mock surprise - and shook his head. "This is definitely history in the making."

"Shut up," I muttered behind my mug, "I'm _not_ attracted to her. I'm only doing this to prove a point."

"What point?"

I exhaled in frustration. "That I'm _not_ attracted to her and that I _don't_ need a relationship to complete my life. Everything's pretty much complete as it is-" I spread my arms, gesturing to the rest of my apartment, "-I'm financially secure, I have great friends and I have you and Kairi. Why would I need a girlfriend? That's just excess."

"Oh, really now?" Sora raised a skeptic eyebrow, "What was her name again?"

"Naminé Nakasato." I answered immediately.

"What colour are her eyes?"

It was my turn to raise an eyebrow. "A really light blue - but her eyelashes are super dark, so it contrasts."

"What was she wearing the first time you saw her?"

"Uh...white dress shirt, light grey vest-"

"Yeah," Sora sipped from his mug, "You definitely like her."

_"What?!"_ I nearly choked on my coffee; Koji and Miyo, who were napping on the couch in the TV room not so far away, stirred slightly in their sleep, "What made you come to that conclusion?"

"If you're not attracted to her like you say you aren't you wouldn't have noticed what she was wearing the first time you saw her, or the colour her eyes were - you even told me how they contrasted with her _eyelashes!"_ Sora snorted, and I blushed in embarrassment.

"W-what if I was just being really observant?" I asked timidly, peering into my mug. Sora and Axel were wrong - I wasn't attracted to her…

"I'm pretty sure you weren't." Sora grinned. He leaned over to pat my shoulder. "Aw, my widdle brother's growing up."

"I'm only three minutes younger than you."

"Still, you're younger than me." His grin widened, and I sighed. "I better get the kids home; they're bushed." We headed into the TV room and scooped the kids in our arms. "You have to keep me posted on this - I'm not missing this out for the world."

My eyes dulled. "You're gonna tell Kairi about this, aren't you?"

My brother chuckled. "Of course I am - she'd probably be more excited about this than me!" When we reached the front door I handed Miyo over to him; it amazed me how he managed to hold both kids. Must be a parent thing. "Anyway, thanks for watching them - you're a lifesaver."

"Yeah, yeah," I said distractedly as I unlocked the door for him.

"See you Sunday." He nodded and I ruffled Koji's hair before closing the door. The apartment had that strangely quiet feel to it again - it bothered me how it was making me feel like everything was so big, so spacious. Empty.

I probably just had a long day. I yawned and made my way to my room, pulling my shirt over my head and tousling my hair. As I washed up for bed all I could think about was the bet, and the way Naminé bit her lip when I spoke to her. When I crawled into bed and pulled the sheets over me I pictured her hair and her eyes, and her dark eyelashes. Axel's taunting voice spilled into my ears:

_"The affection's already beginning to blossom." _I could practically hear him sneering. I yelped in aggravation and stuffed my face into my pillow, forcing my eyes to close so I could sleep and forget what happened today.

I only thought she was pretty.

Likable. That was the right word.

She was likable.

Axel was going to lose.

--

_A/N: I don't know why, but I listened to Owl City's _Cave In _and Tegan and Sara's _Back In Your Head _on repeat when I was writing this chapter._


	4. Impossible To Ignore

**Impossible to Ignore.**

Okay, so maybe avoiding Naminé was harder than I thought.

When I stepped out of my car the next morning the first thing I heard was the click-clacking of heels hitting the pavement. I slowly turned around, and my eyes widened when I spotted Naminé walking in my direction, white-blonde hair and dark eyelashes and all.

"Good morning." She greeted sweetly, flashing me a small smile. I swallowed nervously and gripped my briefcase. She was wearing a grey skirt that stopped just above her knees, a thin white button-up that could've been somewhat see-through if not for that black sweater vest - wait, wait, wait. _Stop looking at her like that!_

"'Morning." My eyes shifted around for a few seconds. "Uh, I guess...I guess you're gonna use the, er-"

"Elevator?" She laughed softly, and my cheeks felt uncomfortably hot for some reason, "Yes, yes I am going to use the elevator. I'm guessing you are too?"

"Yeah," I mumbled, relieved I still had my voice, "Well, er, what are we waiting for? Let's use the elevator." I gestured for her to walk ahead of me, and she giggled again. We waited for the elevator in silence; I rocked back and forth uncomfortably on my heels and watched her from the corner of my eye. How was she standing so still?

When the doors slid open I made sure she went inside first. "How gentlemanly of you." She smiled at me as I followed her in.

There were thirty-six floors to go through before we got to our destination, which meant we had approximately seven or so minutes to ourselves. Seven unavoidable minutes.

Dammit, Axel.

"So," I hesitated, nervously pushing my fingers through my hair, "Are you from around here?"

"Nope," Her lips popped, emphasizing the 'p', "I just moved from Twilight Town a week and a half ago."

That somehow sounded depressing to me. "Oh...er, well...how are you finding it? The city, I mean."

"Well, it's bigger for one thing," She shrugged, "Noisier too, but it's a nice change. With all of these things happening at once it gives me lots of inspiration."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Inspiration for what?"

"Oh, I draw and paint and stuff on my spare time," She replied nonchalantly, "I went to school for it - art's kind of my thing."

I gave her a shy smile. "If it's really your thing then why are you working as an assistant in an office? Shouldn't you be...I dunno, an artist or something?"

She fell silent for a few moments, and I suddenly felt guilty for asking. I was about to take it back when she raised her head and blinked at me. "What about you? Did you always think you were gonna become a high-end business exec?"

"No," I answered slowly, not sure where she was getting at, "But-"

"Exactly." She smiled that sweet smile of hers again, and when I blinked back in confusion she giggled. "Some things just turn out a bit differently than what you expect, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing."

I dropped my gaze to my shoes. "Yeah, I suppose so." I mumbled. My eyes traveled to her heels, then to her ankles...then her legs…was there a skirt length policy for workplaces…?

"Roxas," I glanced upwards, "We're here." Her head was tilted towards the open doors. She was either ignoring my not-so-subtle ogling or she was one of the most oblivious people I've ever met.

I gulped again. "Oh. Sorry...I'm a little out of it." I let her go first. I made sure to match my pace with her, however, just in case my eyes decided to, er, _wander._

"Oh?" She looked at me from the corner of her eye as we made our way past the secretarial desk, "Did you eat breakfast?"

"Of course I did," I answered somewhat indignantly, "I always make time for breakfast."

"Hm…" Her desk was situated just beside Xemnas' office. Her front wall and door was also made out of glass. She placed a dainty hand on the titanium handle as if to push the door open, but she lifted her head to smile at me one last time. "Well...maybe you're more of a lunch person."

I blinked. "Lunch...person?"

Her smile widened by just a fraction, and she nodded once. "Yes, a lunch person - maybe you start feeling it during midday."

I raised an eyebrow. "Feel what?"

"Y'know," She fluttered her hands, _"It._ That point in the day where you finally wake up?"

I chuckled. "Ohh...yeah, I think I get where you're coming from now."

Naminé laughed, and my chest did that weird twitching thing again. "I'm pretty sure you'll get it once noon comes around." She finally pushed her door open. "I'll be sure to check up on you then."

Great...another opportunity to interact with her. This wasn't boding well. "Y-yeah, I'll be expecting you." I waved and spun around unsteadily, shaking my head the entire walk to my office.

The moment I booted up my computer I noticed I had a new email - it was from Axel.

_I saw that. You're losing this, Roxas._

I cringed and immediately began typing.

_No! I couldn't help it - when I got out of the car she was right there! I couldn't make a mad dash for the elevator or something; she'd think I'm trying to avoid her!_

Seconds after I sent it Axel replied.

_I thought that was your master plan._

I rolled my eyes.

_I'm working around this, don't you worry. Oh, and for the record: I feel _nothing.

I could almost hear my best friend laughing from down the hallway.

_Oh yeah? _"Oh. Sorry...I'm a little out of it." _You're a horrible liar, man._

My eyes widened.

_How did you hear that?!_

_ Glass walls, Roxas._

_ Oh...right. _I frustratingly ran my hands through my hair and flopped backwards against my chair; this was proving to be downright difficult, and this wasn't even the first day of the challenge!

My computer made a noise; Axel sent another email.

_Oh, and _for the record: _she practically made the first move. She's gonna 'check up on you' during lunch. Y'know what that means…; )_

My face flushed a violent red.

_The. Walls. Are. Glass. _I nearly broke a hole in my computer from jabbing my finger on the trackpad too hard.

Axel's next email nearly caused me to scream and overturn my desk.

_Oh well - that means the rest of us get a halftime show!_

--

I was dreading twelve o'clock. Every half an hour my eyes would dart to the time on the corner of my computer screen, and the closer it got to noon the faster my heart would beat. By the time it was almost twelve my palms were sweaty and my pulse was racing so quickly I feared I was going to get a heart attack.

_Five minutes. _Axel's newest email was taunting me; the bastard made sure to type it out in gigantic bold font. I growled under my breath and frustratingly ran my hands through my hair. Why did she have to be so nice, so _likable?_ Why did I have to notice every single little detail of her whenever she talked to me? Why-

"Roxas?" Naminé's voice was slightly muffled against my glass door. I glanced upwards and eyed her standing patiently outside, and I sucked in a breath as I rose to my feet.

"You're early." I stated with an amused chuckle. I stepped to the side so she could walk in; she was holding a white lunch bag. How cute.

"Was I interrupting something?" She asked worriedly, and her brow furrowed.

I shook my head quickly. "N-no, no - sit down, please." When she did I moved back to my own chair. I eyed the bag conspicuously. "So...what do you have in there?"

"Your lunch, duh." She pulled out a sandwich encased in a clear ziplock bag. It looked kind of...empty.

"Er, what's in it?" I asked, leaning over my computer to see, "It doesn't look like there's a lot inside."

Naminé laughed as she unzipped the bag. "Just because there isn't a lot inside doesn't mean it's not going to taste good. Here." She gave half of the sandwich to me, and I stared at it.

"Nutella?" I raised an eyebrow. "How old are you?"

Her eyes narrowed, but judging by how she was still smiling she wasn't really offended. "Oh c'mon - everyone _loves_ Nutella...unless they're allergic to it of course. You're not allergic, are you?" Her brow furrowed worriedly again.

"N-no," I mumbled, my fingers applying pressure to the soft bread, "It's just...out of all the good things you can have for lunch you decide to have a plain old Nutella sandwich? There's a great café just around the corner from here-"

"When's the last time you've eaten Nutella?" She asked warily.

I raised an eyebrow at the strange question. "Why is that so important?"

"Well, as a regular day-to-day Nutella consumer it's easy to spot the people who haven't eaten it in awhile." Naminé smiled again and took a bite of her half-sandwich. "So, how long ago?"

I placed my half of the sandwich on my desk and threw up my hands. "I don't know," I groaned exasperatingly, "I don't keep track of when I eat Nutella!"

"Oh, but you should."

I groaned again; this broad was weirding me out, but then again that was a good thing - as long as I wasn't attracted to her I was winning the stupid bet, right? "And why should I, pray tell?"

"Because," She paused to swallow another bite of her sandwich, "I find that people are happier when they regularly eat Nutella. It should be a doctor's order to eat at least a spoonful every day."

This was getting weirder and weirder. "And I'm guessing you eat Nutella every day?"

"Why yes, as a matter of fact I do." She grinned childishly. "See, you're all cranky and out of it - that's because you don't have a pick-me-up. For me, it's Nutella - and art, of course. You, on the other hand, don't seem to have one."

I leaned into my palm, slightly interested. "How are you so sure about that? Apart from our brief conversation on Monday this is the only time we've _really_ started talking, and I haven't mentioned anything personal as of yet."

She flicked a strand of hair behind her shoulder and giggled. "It's really easy to tell, y'know. Every morning you walk into your office looking like you've just come out from a wrestling match or something; you look so drained, so tired, and you hardly smile. When you're working your face gets all scrunched up-" She made a very amusing imitation of my 'working face', and I held in a laugh, "-like you're constipated or something. It's really funny...but sad at the same time." She paused for a second, reaching upwards to tug on her hair. "That just made me look like some kind of creepy stalker. I'm sorry if I'm scaring you."

I laughed; she partially just read my mind. "To be honest with you: yes, it kind of did make you look like a creepy stalker," I wanted to laugh again when her pale cheeks turned slightly red, "But that's okay. These walls are glass, so at least you have that as an excuse."

Her eyes lit up like the way a child's would on Christmas morning, and I wanted to laugh again. She was so adorable.

Wait, _adorable?_

No, that's not the word I'm looking for. I wasn't even looking for a word in the first place!

_Likable. She's _likable.

Likable Naminé. Not _adorable_ Naminé. Likable Naminé.

I'm over-thinking this, aren't I?

I laughed nervously and finally took a bite of my sandwich; I've almost forgotten how amazing Nutella tasted. I felt like I was in elementary school all over again. "You seemed so shy when you walked into the meeting room on Monday. Now you're like a totally different person."

She coloured again and feebly tried to hide behind her half-finished half of a sandwich. "I'm usually not very good with meeting new people, let alone adapting to a new environment."

"You seem okay right now, though." I pointed out.

"I know," She mumbled, her eyes dropping to her lap, "But I feel...comfortable talking with you, like - I dunno - like you're someone I've known for a long time, or something. An old friend I've just happened to run into again."

"Uh…" I frowned, "We...we haven't met anywhere before, right?"

"I'm pretty sure we haven't," Naminé answered confidently, "But I just have that...that _familiar_ feeling around you, y'know?" Her blush worsened and she gripped the hem of her skirt, "S-sorry if I'm making this awkward, it's...it's just-"

"It's okay," I smiled my best for her, "I'm actually very flattered that you feel that way towards me. It's comforting to know I can help a newcomer."

She beamed at me again, and that sickly fluffy sweet feeling piled up inside of me. Goddammit. "I think we should hang out," She suggested; I could already hear Axel and Sora teasing me about this later, "Somewhere that's _not_ a workplace."

"Are you asking me out?" I said teasingly, leaning in a little just to see what her reaction would be like.

She leaned back, her eyes wide and her cheeks pink. "N-no, of course not! If I was going to ask you out I think I'd be smoother than that." She grinned cheekily, and I grinned back. "What about tomorrow night? Dinner, maybe?"

"That definitely sounds date-material." I sighed; dates just weren't my thing. Anything relationship-related just wasn't my thing. I should just tell her that upfront so I can get this stupid bet over with. "Look, Naminé, I-"

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," She tapped her chin with an index finger, "So...I guess I really am asking you out."

My collar felt very tight for some reason, and I tugged anxiously at my tie. "Uh…" I fumbled, "O-oh...then, er," _I don't date. I don't do relationships. I'm not attracted to you. You are _not_ adorable. _"S-sure, I think I'm free for tomorrow night."

She gave me that kid-on-Christmas-morning-look again, and my chest clenched together. "Great! I guess I'll see you tomorrow evening, then!" She bolted straight up from her chair, her smile still visible. She popped the last corner of her sandwich into her mouth. "Eat up, now - you're starting to look a little better from this morning, at least."

I took a big bite of my sandwich and gave her the thumbs up. "I'll pick you up around...say seven?"

She made her way to the door, but not without turning around to smile again. "Seven's perfect. I'll email you my address when I get back to my desk. See you then, Roxas." She closed the glass door behind her and walked away; I could still hear her heels clicking against the marble floor.

I felt like I had just inhaled three gigantic helium balloons. I collapsed against my chair, throwing my head back and staring straight up at the ceiling.

What the _hell_ have I just gotten myself into?

Easy to avoid...huh, my ass.

My computer made a noise; I had mail. I leaned forward to read it.

_You are _so_ losing this, Roxas._

_--_

_A/N: This chapter was inspired by two of the greatest things known to man:_

_Imogen Heap's _Goodnight and Go,_ and…_

_Nutella =) Can you tell I've been craving some for the longest time?_

_Thanks to all who have read and reviewed so far! You guys are great =)_


	5. All I Ever Knew

**All I Ever Knew.**

"I'm an idiot." I muttered, thunking my head against my kitchen table.

"You _are_ an idiot," Axel agreed with a grin on his face, "An idiot in _looooove."_

Sora laughed. "I can't believe you're going on a date! A _normal_ date, not a date Axel had to set up for you! This is an _unblind_ date, Roxas! A _seeing_ date! A _visible-"_

"I get it," I held up a hand, "Thanks." I rifled my hands through my hair and grabbed my glass of water. "How do I get myself into these kinds of situations? I don't want to go on a date!"

"Aw, c'mon Roxas," Sora patted my shoulder, "Give this girl a chance. It seems like she really likes you."

"Yeah," Axel agreed, "And she's hot too. You can't turn down a hot girl."

They definitely weren't helping. "Look, I'll just get this stupid date over with so I don't have to listen to you guys anymore." I rolled my eyes and swiped my hand through my hair again. "This is just gonna be a friendly, casual, totally platonic outing. Not a _date - _an _outing."_

"Right." Both my brother and best friend eyed me, their expressions unconvinced. I groaned again.

"Why don't you guys believe me? She's just a friend, a coworker! Today was the first _real_ conversation we've had - the one on Monday was brief."

"So? The conversation you had today was more than enough to show you're attracted to her." Sora pointed out, and I rolled my eyes.

"You weren't even there - how would you know?"

"Just the way you explained your story to me," My brother shrugged, "You were so animated and interested, like it was the best thing that ever happened to you."

"Which might be true." Axel added, and Sora laughed.

I growled. "You guys are gonna be sorry when I prove you wrong tomorrow."

That night, I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop thinking - or dreading - about tomorrow. What was I supposed to wear? What was I supposed to say? What was I supposed to do?

I figured I should just take this like those blind dates Axel always set me up with. Calm, cool, collected and most importantly: distant. I didn't want to pursue anything with this girl, at least nothing further than friendship. She was nice, and she was new to the city, and I was the only one she felt comfortable around. It would only be natural - and common courtesy - if I befriended her, right? There was nothing wrong with having Naminé as a friend.

Yeah, I think I'd like to have Naminé as a friend.

But nothing more.

--

I woke up at ten the next morning - that was surprisingly early for a weekend, at least for me. I didn't even get enough sleep, but for some reason when I opened my eyes I felt like I had enough energy in me to last a month.

Ten o'clock. That gave me nine hours.

Nine hours until my 'date' with Naminé.

My first _seeing_ date.

I knew who the girl was, and I sort of knew what she was like. It shouldn't be too hard - make her laugh, keep things simple and platonic - piece of cake. We'll be friends in no time. Pals. Buddies.

Nothing more.

I decided to spend my morning cleaning up the apartment; I couldn't remember the last time I cleaned it, so I figured I should. I put on some music on the stereo and hummed along to the songs as I wiped, polished, mopped, swept, vacuumed, dusted and sprayed everything. I reorganized my CDs and books, cleaned out my fridge and folded my clothes. My mom would've been so proud of me.

Three hours later I decided the place was spotless enough. I placed my hands on my hips and glanced around the TV room; everything was neat and clean.

The sun glared on a polished surface and my eyes darted towards it; my acoustic guitar was lying in its vertical stand in the corner, and I frowned. I couldn't remember the last time I played my guitar. I approached it slowly and ran my fingers down the strings, smiling slightly when they shyly sang back to me. I picked my guitar up and sat on the couch, resting it on my thigh. I strummed a few strings, realizing with awe that it was still in tune after all this time of not being played, and began playing random chords.

As I played flashbacks of my younger years relayed through my head like an old filmstrip: I remembered playing guitar in the hallways of my high school while I waited for Sora's soccer practice to finish, and I remembered playing inside empty lecture halls when I had long breaks in between classes during college. I had a notebook where I had all my own compositions and lyrics and stuff, but I had no idea where that went. I should look for it.

After a while my fingers began to feel sore; after not playing for a lengthy amount of time the callouses on my fingers had disappeared, so I was unable to play for long periods of time. I frowned as I set my guitar back on its stand, making a mental note to play some more later. I've forgotten how relieving it was to just sit by yourself and listen to the music you were making. It was therapeutic, in a sense.

It was only three in the afternoon. I had four hours to waste until I was supposed to pick up Naminé. How was I going to waste _four_ more hours?

Maybe I should eat something. I didn't eat yet. I scrambled into the kitchen and wrenched my fridge open; leftover pasta. Perfect.

Wait, what if I eat too much? What if I'm still full by the time we have dinner later? That would mean a waste of money and time. I wouldn't get to see Naminé for as long as I wanted to.

Hey, I didn't say I _wanted_ to see her!

"Argh," I smacked my forehead with the heel of my palm, "Stop arguing with yourself."

Great, now I was talking to myself. Maybe I've been living on my own for too long.

I only ate a portion of the leftover spaghetti because I wanted to leave room for dinner. That didn't even take half an hour.

Groaning, I trudged back into the television room after cleaning up in the kitchen. I flopped against my couch and stared at the ceiling for a good forty minutes. Maybe if I kept staring I'd fall asleep…

I opened my eyes, and the first thing I noticed was how the lighting in the room had dramatically changed. Everything looked...darker.

I glanced at the time, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. It was quarter to seven.

I fell asleep for nearly _four_ hours.

"Crap, crap, crap-" I bolted straight to my room, pulling my shirt over my head and jumping straight into the shower. Five minutes later I raced into my closet - still somewhat dripping wet - and hastily changed into a pair of dark blue jeans, a white dress shirt, a black skinny tie and a black blazer. I stepped into a pair of black and white sneakers, made sure I had my wallet and keys with me, and slammed my front door shut.

When I clambered into my car I realized I had five minutes to get to Naminé's place. According to the directions she gave me it would take at least fifteen minutes to drive there, depending on traffic. Ugh.

I hoped there weren't a lot of cops out tonight.

I drove quickly, but made sure to be alert at the same time. Turns out Naminé lived in one of those city townhouses; the ones with the vintage kind of feel. It looked nice on the outside; it made me wonder how she managed to afford this, since downtown townhouses were usually pricy. I parked by the curb and jogged up the short stone steps. I rang the doorbell and waited patiently with my hands behind my back.

Naminé opened the door seconds later; she was wearing sneakers, jeans and a white fitted t-shirt. My kind of girl.

Since when did I have a kind of girl? I never cared about girls - at least not like that! I never cared about _anybody_ in that way!

"You look quite handsome tonight." She smiled, and I felt uncomfortably warm under her stare. "Just stay put - I'll be out in a sec." She softly closed the door before I had the chance to compliment her. I glanced around awkwardly for a moment, contemplating on what I was supposed to do: was I supposed to stay here, or wait in the car?

Well, she did say _stay put…_

"All ready." Naminé suddenly appeared in front of me with a white knitted beret on her head and a simple smokey grey jacket. She smiled up at me and wound her arm around mine. "Surprised I haven't dressed up all fancy-like?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. "No...why would I be surprised?"

She shrugged. "You just seem like the type who goes on a lot of dates...to like, y'know-" She fluttered her hands, "-fancy...places." She giggled at the end of her sentence, like how a child would.

I chuckled as I pulled the car door open for her. "I've been on a few, but all of them were against my will."

"Ahh," She drew out the sound as if she had just solved a difficult puzzle, "So you really are a ladies' man."

"N-no, no," I protested as I climbed into the driver's seat, "It's just...Axel used to set me up on all these blind dates when we were younger, and I didn't really want to go on any of them." I muttered in embarrassment as I turned the key into the ignition.

Naminé raised both of her eyebrows in mock shock. "What? How could you _not_ want to go on a date with anybody? I find that very surprising."

I chuckled as I shifted gears. "I find it surprising that _you_ find it surprising."

Even though it was dark out I could tell she was blushing; I could hear the sheepishness in her voice. "Well, I dunno...you just seem like the kind of guy who had a lot of, er, relationships in the past."

"Oh? And what gives you that impression?" This was getting interesting.

I could hear her fumbling and hesitating, and it forced a smile upon my face. I definitely liked shy Naminé more than quippy Naminé; she was more amusing. "I dunno…" She mumbled, "You just look the part."

I laughed, though I felt that was enough prodding for now. "That's all I'm going to get out of you, isn't it?" When she nodded I laughed again. "Alright, alright. I'll stop interrogating you."

Naminé looked up from her hands. "So wait...you're not surprised or disappointed about my attire? I mean, I could've just went back inside and changed into something more-"

"You're fine the way you are, Naminé." I reassured her as we stopped at a red light. When her smile reappeared I felt warm inside...and I liked how it made me feel.

It made me feel happy - happy that I was the reason why she was smiling in the first place.

This was bad.

"Mm, I love Italian." Naminé jokingly licked her lips as I parked the car fifteen or so minutes later.

"This has the best Italian food in the city," I smiled as I opened the door for her, "You won't want to eat chicken parmesan anywhere else."

It was a small family-owned restaurant near the heart of the city; I actually discovered it while on a blind date Axel forced me to go on during college. The girl was a bit of a shut-in and she whispered more than she spoke, but the food was really good. I felt really bad for the girl though; it seemed like she didn't want to go on the date either. I wonder how she even came in contact with Axel in the fist place, or how Axel thought her and I would look good together. Maybe he was getting desperate.

"Mm," I felt Naminé press up against my arm, and I looked down at her. She was shivering.

"Your jacket looks pretty thin," I commented; I automatically wriggled out of my own and threw it around her tiny shoulders. "There, much better."

"Thank you," She murmured shyly as she wrapped the lapels around herself. A warm fuzzy feeling enveloped me and I coughed awkwardly into my fist. She giggled, and when I looked down at her she was blinking up at me. "For someone who's been on a bunch of blind dates you act like such a novice."

"It's mostly 'cause I never really, er," I rubbed the back of my head, "The girls Axel set me up with never really appealed to me, if you know what I mean."

"Ah," She nodded in understanding as we entered the restaurant; like I expected it was busy with families and couples, "So you never did this-" She nodded towards my blazer, "-to any of them before?"

"Nope." I turned to the host. "Atsumori, table for two." Minutes later Naminé and I were sitting in a cozy little booth near the far end of the restaurant. "I mean it wasn't like I was rude to them or anything, I just...I just couldn't bring myself to _pretend_ to act like I was interested in them. I felt that would be unfair not only to them but to myself."

My smaller companion nodded as she opened up her menu. "That's understandable." Her big blue eyes darted left and right as she scanned the list of food; she was leaning forward with her arms resting on the table, and the menu was laid flat in front of her. Her brow was slightly furrowed as she thoroughly read the menu, and her lips were pressed tightly together. Her bangs slipped into her eyes every now and then, and she would reach up to casually bat them away.

There I went again with ogling. I really needed to stop this.

"Uh," I cleared my throat and she glanced upwards, "Well...what about you? Have you gone out with a lot of people?"

"Not really," Naminé shrugged again as she sipped from her water, "I mean, I've gone out with guys before but I never really took the date seriously. We always ended up as friends."

"Well, have you ever given the thought that the reason why you always ended up as friends was because you never took your dates seriously?" I asked amusedly, but my eyes widened when she shook her head.

"Nah," She replied casually, her eyes still trained on her menu, "I knew they weren't meant to be anyways. If the guy couldn't take me when I wasn't being serious, then it's not worth it. If you want a relationship to work out you should be able to tolerate each other, no matter what they're like at the moment."

I chuckled as the waiter swung by, and we ordered our food. Once he left I leaned forward and fiddled with my fork. "I wouldn't know," I replied bashfully, "I'm not very keen on relationships."

Naminé leaned forward again and folded her hands underneath her chin. "Oh? So you're not looking to get involved in anything?" She didn't sound disappointed or anything; more like curious. This was a good sign.

"Not really," I chuckled, ruffling my hair, "Y'see...Axel and my brother Sora have been trying to set me up with girls ever since we were in high school, but they just don't understand the fact that I'm content without a girlfriend. I really do like my life the way it is, but they refuse to believe that." My shoulders depressed as I sighed.

"Aw, that's not very fair of them," Her voice was sad with sympathy, "They shouldn't force you into things like these. Relationships aren't for everybody."

"Thank you!" I exclaimed, spreading my arms wide, and I grinned when she giggled, "Finally, someone who'll let me live my life the way I want to live it. I don't need a girlfriend or a wife or anything to make me happy," I muttered frustratingly, "I can be content with the things I have now, can I not? I have a good job, great friends and family...what else do I possibly need?"

She gave me a soft smile as the waiter returned with our food. "It looks like you're all set."

"What about you?" I asked curiously as I reached for my fork, "Are you looking for a relationship?"

The look she was giving me was kind of worrisome. "I was always the kind of girl who wished she'd grow up one day and find her prince with the white horse and everything, and we'd get married and live in a big castle with cute talking animals and whatnot." She laughed and shook her head. "Of course I'm more realistic now, but I just can't help but wonder sometimes, y'know?"

"So...you're a hopeless romantic." I stated bluntly, and she blushed.

"Kind of," She admitted, reaching upwards to tug on her hair, "I want _the_ guy - the one who I'm comfortable with and vice-versa, the one who makes me feel like I'm the only one in the room." She sighed dreamily and twirled her pasta around her fork. "I know there isn't such thing as a perfect person but you can't help but hope they still exist somewhere out there."

I ruffled my hair with my free hand. "I'm pretty sure you'll find him soon. He's bound to turn up somewhere," I smiled, "Just keep looking. Don't give up. He might be closer than you think."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying something?"

I felt my cheeks burning and my eyes widened. "N-no! I just told you I wasn't looking for a relationship!"

Naminé laughed and returned to her pasta. "Just making sure."

The rest of dinner continued smoothly; we mostly talked about whatever came to mind. We talked about work, where we went for school, our friends, families, hobbies, whatever; by the time I had to drive her home I realized it was very easy to talk to Naminé.

Was that a good thing?

"Thanks for tonight," Her delicate voice brought me back to reality; we were standing in front of her door, "I really enjoyed it." She handed back my blazer, and I took it wordlessly. She giggled and rubbed her stomach jokingly. "If I eat anymore I'm gonna have to change my name to Tsunaminé."

Cute joke. "Er, sure," I chuckled as I stuck my arms through the sleeves, "Anytime."

She was tugging on her hair again; I noticed how she did that only when she was nervous or embarrassed. "Um...do you...d'you think we can hang out again? Sometime soon?" She peeked up at me beneath her long eyelashes, "I can really use a friend...especially on the weekends. Being new in the city kind of sucks when you don't know anybody."

God, she really _was_ unavoidable. I shrugged my shoulders, despite my disappointment. "Well, I babysit my niece and nephew every Sunday afternoon. Maybe you can come over and help?"

Her eyes lit up. "You _babysit?_ That sounds very out of character for you."

I chuckled. "I can't help but agree with you. So...are you in?"

Naminé laughed and nodded. "Of course I am! I'll see you tomorrow, then." She turned around to unlock her door.

"Come around noon, okay?" I brushed my fingers through my hair. "Or...I can pick you up a little earlier and we can have brunch or something before the kids come." Where the hell did _that_ come from?! Take it back, take it back…

"Hm, that sounds very nice of you. Sure." She pushed her door open and turned around to face me. "Ten-thirty, then? We'll have brunch at your place!"

My eyebrow quirked upwards as I stuck my hands into my pockets. "You want to have Nutella again, don't you?"

She grinned childishly. "Can't start my day without it." She walked halfway inside. "I'll see you tomorrow then, Roxas."

I waved dazedly. "Bye." When the door closed I spun on my heel and made my way back to my car. I replayed the scene over and over in my head the entire drive home.

I practically asked her out.

What the hell was I thinking?!

When I parked my car in the underground garage I banged my forehead against the steering wheel and cursed under my breath. This wasn't how things were supposed to turn out. I was supposed to part with her on a friendly note, maybe with a "Goodnight, Naminé; I'll see you at work on Monday" or something like that. Not a "Let's hang out again!" Ugh, what has gotten into me?

I'm not attracted to her...right?

She's just a friend. A new girl who doesn't know anybody. She just needs company. She doesn't want to be lonely.

This was just another hangout - a casual get-together. Friends spend entire weekends together sometimes. It's normal. We're going to be _babysitting,_ for God's sake, not...anything else.

Great, just great.

--

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: Joshua Radin - _Only You.

_Some of the songs playing while Roxas was cleaning his apartment: _Time After Time _by Quietdrive, _Starlight _by Muse and _Roller Coaster _by blink-182._

_The 'Tsu__naminé' thing just popped into my head...and I thought it was cheesy enough to be remotely funny so I added it into the dialogue last minute =P_

_Please review =) _


	6. I Don't Know How To Love

**I Don't Know How To Love.**

I rushed out of the shower and hurriedly changed into jeans and a white v-neck t-shirt. I stuffed my wallet into my back pocket and made sure to lock my front door. I bounced impatiently on my heels as I waited for the elevator to go down to the underground parking garage. The second the doors slid open I jogged to my car, wrenched the door open and stabbed my key into the ignition.

The excitement bubbling in the pit of my stomach was downright frightening.

I made sure calm music was playing on the stereo before I backed out of my parking space. Today looked nice: the sky was blue and there were very little clouds out. I rolled my tinted window down and rested my arm over it as I turned a corner; the warm spring air whisked through my hair, pushing it backwards, and I smiled to myself. Today was going to be a good day.

Naminé was sitting on the steps when I parked by the curb. "Hiya." She bounded towards the car and pulled the door open. When she stepped inside the car instantly began to smell like the air after a storm. It was nice. "You look quite chipper this morning; a complete opposite from what you usually look like every morning at work."

I rumpled my hair and cast a quick look in her direction: she was wearing jean shorts and a blue plaid button-up with the sleeves rolled to her elbows. Her shorts exposed parts of her thighs I've never seen before, and I instantly looked away. "Er," I shook my head, ridding myself of the hormone-induced thoughts, "I dunno, I just woke up feeling different today."

She giggled and raised her hands; she was holding a jar of Nutella. Surprise, surprise. "Maybe it's because you know you're gonna have Nutella for brunch."

I chuckled and shifted gears. "Maybe."

We shared some idle conversation on the semi-short drive back to my apartment; as we rode the elevator I mentally hoped everything was still clean. It should be, since I just cleaned it the day before.

"Wow," Naminé awed after I unlocked the door; she stepped out of her white flip-flops and turned a full circle around the foyer, "Mister Penthouse Suite." Her eyes were wide, her mouth was partially open and she was clutching her Nutella jar in both hands, like a child. It was painfully adorable.

"It's nothing, really," I mumbled in embarrassment as I led her to the kitchen. I was about to grab the bread when she stopped me; her hand was on my wrist, and I noticed how soft her touch was. I gulped nervously and looked at her. "What? I thought we were having Nutella."

"You don't always have to have it with bread, you know." She told me with a smile; she pulled some of the drawers open and fished out a pan. She scoured my pantry and fridge for what looked like baking ingredients: eggs, flour, milk, butter…

"Uh, what are you doing?" I asked curiously as she cracked a couple eggs.

She slid a mixing bowl down the counter, and it stopped right in front of me. "One cup flour, one cup milk and two tablespoons of butter. Stat."

I immediately got to work, though I was still confused. She poured the eggs in and gently pushed me aside. She was whisking the batter now; I blinked as she mixed quickly. "Um…"

"Heat up the stove, please. Make sure it's on medium."

I did what I was told. When that was done Naminé carefully poured half of the batter in and spread it evenly with a spatula. It dried quickly, and she flipped it over. I finally realized what she was making. "Crepes?" I asked, and I smirked when she nodded.

"Mmhmm. Do you have ice cream? Fruits?"

I was lucky I went grocery shopping last weekend. I ventured into my fridge and pulled out some strawberries and blueberries, and I found a tub of vanilla ice cream in the freezer. Naminé had already finished making the second crepe and spread Nutella on the inside of both of them: the thick brown hazelnut spread melted somewhat, looking shinier and thinner than it was supposed to be. I licked my lips as I watched my shorter companion slice the strawberries, and when she added them in I sprinkled blueberries on top.

Naminé was about to start eating when an idea came to mind. "Oh - wait," I hurried over to my pantry and pulled out a bottle of chocolate syrup, "We forgot the finishing touch."

"Perfect." She grinned up at me as I squirted chocolate syrup in a zigzag fashion over our crepes. After cleaning up we sat down across from each other at the kitchen table and dug in. I poured both of us a glass of milk.

"Mm, this is really good." I chewed slowly, making sure to savour the taste. "You're a whiz in the kitchen."

"With Nutella, mostly," She smiled shyly, "I like to experiment a lot."

"I bet most of those experiments are successes," I chuckled, and I laughed again when she blushed slightly, "'Cause this is amazing. I've never had Nutella like this before."

"It's easy to turn one simple thing into many different things," She shrugged, "You just have to find the time and motivation."

"I suppose." The doorbell rang and I sprang up from my seat. "Oh, that's them."

"Hey bro," Sora greeted me cheerily; Miyo was giggling in his arms, "How's everything?"

"Not bad," I replied casually as Kairi and Koji stepped inside, "Hey kiddo." I ruffled my nephew's spiky copper hair and he grinned toothily up at me.

"Oh?" Kairi's head was craned towards the kitchen, where Naminé was still sitting, "You have someone over?"

Sora eyed me slyly, and I shot him a glare. "Y-yeah, this is Naminé. She's a friend from work."

Naminé rose from her seat and approached my sister-in-law; when they shook hands I noticed how similar they looked, physically-wise. I thought that was a little uncanny. "It's nice to meet you." The blonde smiled kindly, and she bent over the little boy in Kairi's arms. "And who's this strapping young man?"

"Koji!" My nephew exclaimed, waving his tiny fists in the air. He giggled when Naminé tousled his hair.

"It's nice to meet you too, Koji. My name is Naminé."

Koji reached out towards her, and Kairi laughed as she handed him over. "He seems to like you - he's usually shy around strangers."

"I'm Sora, by the way," My brother stepped forward, "Roxas' better-looking brother." I rolled my eyes as Kairi and Naminé laughed. Sora glanced at his phone and rubbed the back of his head. "Anyway, we better get going. Maybe we'll have some more time to chat once we get back?"

"Of course." Naminé smiled kindly as she bounced Koji in her arms; huh, I didn't think she'd be staying for the entire afternoon. "I'll probably still be around."

Sora and Kairi glanced at each other for a split second; it was almost unnoticeable, but I caught it. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes a second time. "Alright," My brother said as he handed his daughter over to me, "I guess we'll see you both in a few hours." He wriggled his eyebrows in my direction, and I pursed my lips so I wouldn't cuss at him in front of his children.

"Bye." I closed the door with my foot. I shook my head. "Don't mind them; they're both crazy."

Naminé was too busy with Koji to pay any attention to me. "Say, Koji, do you wanna help me finish my Nutella crepes? They're really good; I think you'll like it! C'mon!" The little boy laughed excitedly as she skipped over to the kitchen.

"Huh?" Miyo looked up at me with curious violet eyes. I sighed and smoothed down her hair.

"I don't get it either, to be honest with you." I gave my niece a pathetic smile. "You can help me finish my crepes."

Brunch was fun with the kids; Koji kept smearing Nutella on his fingers and the corners of his mouth for some reason (it's obvious whose eating habits he inherited) so Naminé had to keep cleaning him off. Thankfully Miyo was a neat eater so I had less trouble. It seemed that Naminé loved being around kids: she played around with them in the TV room after we cleaned up in the kitchen. She drew pictures with them, watched TV with them and played make-believe.

"C'mon, Roxas," Naminé crawled over to the couch and tugged on my wrist, "Come play with us! We need a horsey for our cowboy." She jerked her head towards Koji, who was pretending to shoot things with his hand. He was making gun sounds with his mouth.

"Why can't you be the horsey?" I whined, "I'm tired."

"Tired? All you've been doing the past few hours was sit on your butt and watch us have fun!" She tugged a little harder, and I toppled forward onto the ground. "There you go - here, Koji! Uncle Roxas is your horsey!"

"Oh no-" But it was too late. I felt my nephew scramble onto my back, and he grabbed fistfuls of my hair. "Ow, Koji!" I heard Miyo and Naminé giggling somewhere behind me, and I groaned. I was thankful Axel wasn't around to see this.

"Horsey, horsey!" Koji dug his heels into my sides and I grimaced, "Go, go!"

I groaned again and began to crawl forward. "Naminé-"

"Horseys make sounds, you know," My blonde companion interrupted me; she was sitting cross-legged with her back against the foot of the couch, and Miyo was sitting on her lap. "They neigh and whinny."

"Clop, clop, clop." Miyo mimicked horses' hooves with her hands.

I sighed. "Neighhhh." I mumbled; I could feel my cheeks turning red.

Naminé didn't look very impressed. "What kind of neighing is that? Let's try this again - with feeling, please!"

Dammit. I crawled around the coffee table, and when I came face-to-face with my coworker and niece I made the best neighing noise I've ever made in my entire life - the _only_ neighing noise I've ever made in my entire life. I turned redder when Naminé and Miyo cheered and clapped enthusiastically. Koji kicked my sides again, and I winced.

"See? I knew you could do it! You make a good horsey after all." The blonde grinned at me, and I rolled my eyes.

"You owe me for this." I grumbled as Koji tugged on my hair again. I made another lap around the coffee table.

"For what? Nobody's here to see you except for us."

"I still feel incredibly ridiculous."

"Hey, you're not neighing anymore."

I whinnied again, and Koji and Miyo giggled. "How much longer do I have to do this?"

"Until Koji gets bored of you, of course."

I sighed and crawled another two laps. When I was about to start a third one the door rang; was it three already?

"I'll get it." Naminé bounded up, scooping Miyo in her arms and raced for the door.

"Hey Naminé," I heard Sora's voice; Koji was still kicking my ribs, "Where's Roxas?"

"In the TV room. He's playing horsey with Koji."

"Horsey?" Kairi sounded like she was trying to hold back a laugh.

Sora came into the TV room, and the moment he saw me on all fours with his son perched on my aching back he burst into laughter. "Wow, I never thought I'd see something like this. C'mere, Kairi - look!"

I felt like a freak on display, or something. "Looks like you and Koji are having fun, Roxas." Kairi giggled, and I sighed.

"Can someone please get him off? My back hurts!" When Sora plucked him off I stood up and stretched to remove the kinks in my spine. "Ah, much better." I tweaked Koji's nose and smirked. "You're heavier than you look."

"Or maybe you just need to work out more." Naminé added cheekily, and I flushed when my brother and his wife laughed. We spent a good couple hours in the kitchen talking - Kairi and Naminé ended up bonding pretty quickly. Sora even pointed out their close resemblance, but they assured us they were of no relation.

"Are you absolutely, _positively_ sure neither of you were swapped at birth or something?" Sora asked for the billionth time as we approached the front door; Miyo and Koji were asleep in their parents' arms.

"Yes," Kairi sighed; Naminé was shaking her head behind her, "I assure you that Naminé and I are not related. This was the first time we've ever seen each other, and we told you that the both of us aren't adopted. Is that enough proof, or do I have to show you my baby pictures?"

"Okay, okay," My brother rubbed the back of his head, "Just making sure." He turned to me and grinned. "Well, I guess we'll see you next week." He then turned to Naminé. "And...er…"

"You'll most likely be seeing me next week too." She smiled, and Sora and Kairi gave me a look that made me want to throw them out of my apartment. At the same time, however, I wanted to gape at Naminé.

"What?" I protested, trying to hide my surprise, "She's better with the kids."

"He's right, Sora," Kairi shrugged, "If she could make Roxas play horsey there's no telling what else she could do." I wondered if she was implying something.

Everyone laughed (except for me of course). I opened the door and we waved goodbye one last time. When they were gone I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair. "Sorry about that - like I mentioned before, they're crazy."

My shorter companion was tugging on her hair. "S'okay...but," She bit her bottom lip and peered up at me beneath her eyelashes, "It's...it's okay if I come again next week, right? I kinda just threw it out there without even asking you beforehand."

I waved my hand dismissively. "Yeah, of course you can come." I reached for my hair again. "Heh, maybe this can be somewhat of a weekly tradition - Nutella and babysitting."

When her eyes lit up I couldn't help but smile. "Really?" She looked like a little kid again, and when she clapped her hands together I laughed.

"Really." I walked into the kitchen; I could hear Naminé's bare footsteps padding behind me. "Uh, so what do you want to do now? We have the house to ourselves." God, that sounded wrong. "Uh, I mean, the kids aren't around so...er," I groaned, "I can't think of a way to correct myself without making it sound even more awkward."

She giggled and took a few steps forward. She was approaching me slowly, and with every step she took my heartbeat accelerated. She was so close she had to tilt her head a little to look up at me; her eyes looked even bigger, and it was easier to see the silvery tint in her irises. I could smell her hair - the rainy, fresh-after-a-storm smell, and her skin was so smooth, so flawless-looking…

Stop. Stop. _Stop._

"Well," Her soft voice filled my ears; she tilted her head to the side and her eyes veered off to the left somewhere, "What do you usually do when you have the house to yourself?"

That was a surprisingly difficult question to answer. "Uh," It was so hard to concentrate when she was so freaking _close,_ "I...I dunno-" I gulped when I felt her eyes on me, "-I kinda just, er, I kinda…"

"Kindaaa…" She drawled out the second syllable, pressuring me to answer.

"Y'know what?" I laughed nervously and took a quick step backwards, rubbing the back of my head with one hand, "I don't really know." I couldn't smell her hair anymore and my heartbeat was returning to normal...somewhat.

There was no way in _hell_ this was happening right now. This _couldn't_ be happening. I've gone through high school _and_ college without being attracted to anybody! I've talked to girls before, I've befriended them before - what makes this one any different? Plus, I've only known the broad for, like, a week and this was only the third day we actually interacted with each other. How could this be happening so soon? Why was it even happening in the first place?

I couldn't be attracted to Naminé in that way...could I?

Workplace relationships were usually frowned upon, anyway.

But what about Axel and Larxene?

Well...they're _Axel_ and _Larxene_.

True.

"Hmm…" Naminé was tapping her chin with an index finger, "We could…" She wandered towards the TV room with her hands clasped behind her back; I tried not to watch the way her hips shifted as she walked slowly around the coffee table, "We could just hang out."

I raised an eyebrow. "But isn't that what we're doing right now?"

"No, we're just standing around awkwardly while figuring out what to do." She tugged on her hair. "Unless you want me to go…"

I hastily made my way towards her, shaking my head frantically. "No, of course I don't want you to go." I swallowed the lump in my throat when she glanced up at me. "Say, why don't we just lounge around for a bit? Watch TV, or something. Then we can have dinner, and I'll take you home."

She smiled that small, innocent, pretty smile of hers and for a second I couldn't feel my knees. "Sounds like a plan." She moved to sit down on the couch, but the second she sat down she bolted straight up again. "Hey!" She exclaimed, like she was trying to get someone's attention.

I looked around the room. "W-what is it?"

She bounded over to where my guitar and CDs were. "I never knew you were into music." She crouched in front of my guitar and poked the strings.

"Yeah...well, lately I haven't found the time to sit down and listen to some lately, let alone play my guitar." I sat cross-legged next to her and ruffled my hair. "Work's been grueling."

"Well, since you have a reason I'm not gonna make you play," She grabbed a CD and headed for my stereo, "But I _am_ gonna make you dance."

My heart nearly exploded. "Huh?" Fast rock music began to play and my eyes nearly bulged out when Naminé grabbed my hands, tugging me to my feet. "Naminé-"

"Don't worry, I don't know what I'm doing either." She pulled me to a vacant spot on the floor by the couch, and suddenly we began to dance - well, it wasn't really a dance. She was kind of just pulling me in all sorts of directions, and I kind of just went with the flow. After a few seconds I realized she was telling the truth and I played along; I felt like a child again when we grabbed each other's wrists and spun around in a dizzying circle. I twirled her around like one of those waltzers or tango dancers or whatever dance that move came from, and as a joke I dipped her low to the ground.

While we were dancing there was a brief moment in which I finally came to the realization that I definitely felt something for Naminé - something more than friendship. My common sense was trying to fight against it, telling me things like how we've only known each other for a week and how I made a life vow to never get into a relationship, but another part of me - a part of me I never knew existed - told me completely different things.

I came to this realization, I think, when I dipped her. She was staring up at me with those big blue eyes, and her chest was heaving. Her platinum blonde hair was falling gracefully like silk ribbons, weaving in and out between my fingers. Her face was flushed pink, and her small mouth was slightly parted as if she had just seen the most amazing thing in the world. My hand was on her back, supporting her weight; I could feel her pulse thudding excitedly against my palm. Her grip on my shoulders was gentle, reluctant.

I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful in my entire life.

Before I knew it, the song was over and we were catching our breath on the couch. The CD skipped to a new song; a somewhat slower tune in comparison to the mini-rock concert we had just moments ago.

"So much for lounging around." I chuckled; Naminé was sitting on the opposite end, giggling behind her hand.

"You had to admit it was fun." She grinned, and I nodded.

"I haven't had that much exercise in years."

She made a face. "Ew."

My head snapped in her direction. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

She smirked and crossed her arms. "It means exactly what it's supposed to mean. Gee, and I thought you were fit - you sure look like it. Do you not eat or something?" She brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "First babysitting, now you say you don't exercise - you're just full of surprises, aren't you?"

I chuckled. "I can say the same thing about you, you know." I rubbed my stomach and leaned back against the couch. "So, what do you want to eat for dinner? It's almost six." When she didn't answer I looked in her direction, and I raised an eyebrow when I noticed she was gone. I heard clanging noises in the kitchen.

"Do you want toasted Nutella-and-banana sandwiches or fried Nutella wontons?"

God, this girl...

--

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _Elevator Love Letter _by Stars._

_Some of the songs playing in Roxas' car: _Dreams _by The Cranberries, _A Letter To Elise _by The Cure and _A Sunday _by Jimmy Eat World._

_The CD __Naminé picks is Jimmy Eat World's _Bleed American;_ Roxas and __Naminé dance to _Sweetness, _and the song that played afterward was _If You Don't, Don't_._

_I just added the official _Hard To Get _playlist on my blog =) Check it out, and you can listen along as you read! The link to the playlist will be on my profile =)_

_It will probably be updated as I write more chapters, so keep checking back in case new songs are added!_

_Thank you all who have reviewed, favourited and alerted this story! I appreciate all of your support; it means a lot to me =)_


	7. Wait A Thousand Hours

**Wait A Thousand Hours.**

"Do it." Axel commanded.

I buried my face in my hands. "No."

"Do it."

"No."

"This was a part of the bet, Roxas. You lost."

"I did _not_ lose."

"Less than five minutes ago you told me you were attracted to Naminé Nakasato. You lost, man."

"The rules of the bet state that I lose _only_ if I fall head over heels for her-"

"Which you have."

"No," I glared at my best friend through the spaces in between my fingers, "I'm _attracted_ to her. That's something entirely different than falling head over heels!"

"I dunno, you seemed pretty lovesick when you were telling me what happened on the weekend." Axel cleared his throat and began to speak in a high-pitched voice. _"So we went out for dinner on Saturday and it was really fun; we talked and talked and talked - God, Axel, she's so easy to get along with. Then on Sunday we babysat the kids together and she made me dance, and there was this one time when I looked at her while we were dancing and I swear to God I wanted to fuck her right then and there." _

Do I really sound like that?

"I didn't say that," I snapped, though my face was red, "I said I thought she looked beautiful."

"See? You're in love with her." Axel crossed his arms. "Guys who are merely attracted to a girl don't use the word _beautiful - _they use _hot."_

"Beautiful seemed like a more fitting term." I muttered pathetically.

"It seemed more fitting because you're in love with her," Axel tutted, "Geez, Roxas. You're so inexperienced." He laughed and touched his forehead with the heel of his palm. "I give you a month and a half to fall for this broad and you do it in one weekend. That's rich."

"I'm not in _love-"_

"Stop denying it, Roxas. You love her," The redhead crossed his arms and smirked, "Now, back to what we were arguing about before…"

I groaned and stuffed my face into my hands again. "What do you want for lunch?"

He cupped a hand around his ear. "I'm sorry, were you referring to me? I didn't hear you say my name...or rather, what you're _supposed_ to call me now that we've established you lost."

I growled. "What do you want for lunch, _Superior?"_

Axel threw his head back and laughed. "Hm, that has a nice ring to it." He hopped off my desk and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I'm feeling some sushi. C'mon, let's ask Larxene and Demyx if they wanna tag along-" He wriggled his eyebrows playfully, "-and maybe you can ask Naminé too, hmm?"

I whipped a pen at him.

--

"Why won't you tell me?" Naminé whined.

"Because." I smirked and leaned back against the sofa. We were spending our Monday evening in my TV room. We just had dinner - I managed to convince her to have something that didn't have Nutella in it - and now we were just lounging around. This was the third consecutive time she's been over, and I was loving every minute of it.

Until now.

"Please?" She batted her eyelashes.

"That's not going to phase me, Naminé."

_"Pleeeease?" _She was pouting now, and I think the corners of her eyes were tearing up. Ugh...Miyo did this to me all the time.

I rolled my eyes and leaned into my palm. "I was sixteen," I muttered, "And very, _very_ drunk."

"Wow." She crawled closer to me. "Who was it?"

I flushed red. "That isn't important."

"Yes it is," She protested, "First kisses are always important. Now, tell me - who was it?"

"No one."

"You kissed yourself?"

"Yes."

"That isn't possible!" She narrowed her eyes, "C'mon, just tell me. I promise I won't tell anyone else. How can I, anyway - the only person I really talk to is you!"

My face turned redder. "You're never going to let it go if I tell you."

Her eyes widened. "So it's someone we know?"

"Yes…"

"Kairi?"

"No."

"...Sora?"

"That's disgusting!"

"Hmm…" I could practically hear her brain working. "Axel?" She looked me dead in the eye, and when I instantly turned away she fell back against the couch, hysterical with laughter. "You've _got_ to be kidding me! I knew you guys were best friends, but I never knew there were benefits!"

"Didn't I just tell you I was drunk when it happened?" I retorted, "It's a part of my life the both of us want to forget."

Naminé settled down a bit, though she was still giggling. "I can imagine." She got on her hands and knees again and crawled closer towards me; I could feel her arm brushing against mine, and I stiffened. "So, how was it?"

"I just said it was a part of my life I wanted to _forget,_ Naminé."

"You can forget after you tell me how it was." She grinned, and I sighed.

"It's hard to remember," I mumbled, "We were both drunk, and I think one of our friends dared us into doing it. Either that or we were playing Spin the Bottle."

"That doesn't answer my question."

I groaned. "It was nasty and I never, _ever_ felt so heterosexual in my entire life."

She giggled again. "Cute."

My eyes widened. "How is that cute?"

She shrugged her small shoulders before folding her legs underneath her. She leaned in towards me, resting the side of her head against my arm, and my heart began to pound painfully against my ribcage. "I dunno, it just seems cute. Two best friends sharing their first kiss - how much cuter can that get?"

"Well," I started, "It would've been cute if those best friends were attracted to each other. In this case they weren't - and they never will be - so it wasn't cute at all. In fact it was quite the opposite. And," I raised a hand in the air, pointing upwards with an index finger, "If I may add, those best friends were drunk, therefore they were out of their minds when it happened. It couldn't have possibly been labeled as cute if they were hammered."

"Sure it can," Naminé blinked up at me, "A lot of people usually become more truthful when they're intoxicated."

"I never liked Axel in that way, and I'm pretty sure it's the same for him."

She shrugged again. "Or maybe you did and you just didn't want to admit it."

"What are you trying to get at here?" I asked with dry amusement, "Do you _want_ to set us up or something? 'Cause that's kind of an impossibility at the moment - Axel's with Larxene."

"Oh, I know. I hear them all the time."

Chills ran up and down my spine. "Gross." When she laughed I looked down at her. "Okay, I've answered the question. Now it's your turn."

She was silent for a few long seconds. "I was fifteen," She then added in a low, bitter voice, "And it was the biggest mistake I've ever made."

I raised an eyebrow. "Care to share?"

"I was just stupid and young and naïve," Naminé sighed, reaching upwards to push the bangs away from her eyes, "Y'know, it's funny how at that age you think you know so much about boys and love and relationships. You think the first one who comes up to you and says he loves you is the one you're gonna be with your entire life."

I gave her a rueful smile. "Sorry, I wouldn't know." I could smell her hair, and I was beginning to feel a little lightheaded. "Who was he?"

"His name was Seifer," Her voice was still low, still bitter, "Seifer Almasy. He was a couple years older - Axel's age, I think - and he was on the football team. He was the typical jock, but at the time he seemed like the most perfect person in the world." She shook her head. "I think the only reason why all the girls liked him was because he had a nice-looking car."

"Was he your boyfriend?"

"Yes and no - a few friends and I were watching one of the home games and he was on the field, and then he just...he just looked at me. And I looked back." She blinked a couple times, as if she couldn't believe what she was saying. "And...I dunno. It just happened."

"What did?" I was curious now.

"I really don't know," Naminé was shaking her head, "Pretty soon halftime comes and he approaches me, and we start talking. He tells me he hasn't seen me around before, and I tell him it's because I was a freshman." She began to toy with her fingers. "He was really nice at first; he hung out with me, talked to me...he made me feel important. He made me feel like he wanted me."

I felt uncomfortable for some reason. "Did he...did he do anything other than, er, kiss you?"

She laughed bitterly. "No, thank God - at least I still have that, but at the time I think if he wanted to I would've done it. There were many times where he was heavily implying it, but I guess I wasn't paying much attention. I was too busy thinking about how we were gonna get married and stupid things like that." I never heard her speak like this before; she was speaking in the kind of tone you used when you were talking about something you didn't usually share with everyone. "I was the girl who'd write her name with his last name at the back of her textbooks, the girl who believed all those stupid corny lines in books, pop songs and chick flicks." She fell silent for a minute, her small hands gripping the ends of her skirt, "And for some stupid reason I still am that kind of girl."

I rumpled the back of my hair. "What happened, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Before I used to blame the entire thing on him, but as I got older I realized it was partially my fault too." She shrugged. "He just...changed, I guess. He wasn't as perfect as I thought he was. I spent so much time thinking so positively about him and our supposed 'future' together I didn't bother to realize there was a possibility that it might not work out." She laughed that bitter, non-Naminé laugh again. "I guess that was my own fault, right?"

The way she walked around the topic gave me the impression that it didn't end very nicely. I was still fumbling with my hair. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"Now whenever I see a fifteen-year-old girl whose head over heels, I shake my head in disappointment. It's just too depressing to see what happened to me replaying in somebody else's life, y'know? I wish there was some way I could tell them that these little high school infatuations are far from love, but I know they won't listen to me. First of all: I'm a complete stranger, and second: part of being a teenager is refusing to listen to your elders."

I chuckled a little sadly. "That's how we learn, unfortunately. You don't listen to what people have to say, and when you grow up and realize those things they were trying to tell you were true all along you suddenly feel like a jackass for not listening in the first place." I placed my hands behind my head. "Ignorance is bliss, but only for so long."

I heard Naminé sigh beside me, and I turned to face her. She was turned towards me, but her eyes were still staring down at her fingers. "Um…" She hesitated, "D'you...d'you mind doing me a favour?"

I began to feel a little uneasy. "W-what is it?"

Her cheeks were pink. "I really need a hug right now." She opened her arms to me, and I gathered her in mine. Her head fit perfectly into the curve of my neck, and the bottom half of my face was buried in her wonderfully soft hair. She held onto my waist for dear life, snuggling closer against my body and I fought to keep my hormones in check.

She was a friend. A friend who just told you something very depressing and heartbreaking. She needs to be comforted. Nothing more.

I awkwardly rubbed her back and pressed my cheek against her hair. I contemplated on saying something, but in the end I decided words weren't necessary at the moment. Anything I could've said, profound or not, would've ruined this...this whatever. Moment. Thing.

"Roxas?" Naminé's voice was muffled against my shirt.

I continued rubbing her back; she didn't seem to mind. "Mm?"

"Can you make sure I don't do anything that stupid ever again for as long as I live?" Her voice was tiny, insignificant. Afraid.

I took a deep breath, inhaling the rainy scent of her hair. I resisted the urge to close my eyes. "I'll try my best."

I felt her smile against my shoulder. "Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."

I tightened my arms around her a little bit. "Anytime."

I held her for a few minutes more before she said she had to go. She drove, so I didn't have to drop her off. For some reason, when we broke our embrace I felt strange. Empty. Incomplete. When I watched her smile and wave goodbye before closing the door I felt cold, like I was missing something important.

It dawned on me at that very moment, when I locked my door and turned around to face my empty, expensively-furnished apartment, that I really was lonely and that I needed somebody. I spent most of my life pretending I didn't need anyone because I didn't know how to pine for them, to _want_ someone to be there for me. All of these years I've been trying to fill in a void I didn't know I had with things I _didn't_ need - a fancy car, expensive furniture, clothes with high-end brand names.

At that moment I finally knew what it was like to need someone, and to miss someone when they were gone. This hurt, this emptiness I was feeling - it was real, and I wanted it to go away.

And I knew at that point there was only one person in the entire universe who would make me feel better.

--

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _Quiet _by Lights._

_The scene where Naminé describes her first relationship is inspired by Taylor Swift's _Fifteen _and _Forever and Always (Piano Version).


	8. Make Or Break

**Make Or Break.**

After two and a half months of eating Nutella, prodding each other with personal questions, playing horsey with my nephew and dancing in my TV room I came to a very frightening realization:

I loved Naminé Nakasato.

I knew this wasn't just a crush or some kind of infatuation; I was pretty sure it was stronger than that. I couldn't stop thinking about her, and whenever I saw her I felt so...so happy. Carefree. I wanted to make her smile and I wanted to hear her laugh. I made it a personal goal to make her happy at least once every day.

I loved everything about her. It got to the point where I began to notice every single tiny detail about her - and I loved every single one of those tiny details.

I loved the way she tugged on that little curl of hair near the back of her head whenever she was nervous. I loved the way she bit her bottom lip whenever she was listening to someone talking. I loved her soft voice and how her the scent of her hair reminded me of rain. I loved the colour of her eyes and how she tilted her head to the side when she was confused or curious. I loved the way her hair felt when it brushed my cheeks whenever we hugged. I loved the way her head fit perfectly against my neck. I loved how she always looks up beneath her eyelashes when she addresses someone taller than her - which was almost all the time, since she was a tiny little thing.

A wonderful, beautiful, sweet tiny little thing.

I loved her. There was no other way to describe it. I loved Naminé and there was nothing I could do about it.

"So lunch...Axel and I will head by your room and we'll go?" I suggested, ruffling the back of my hair with one hand and holding my briefcase with the other.

Naminé nodded distractedly as she reached for the door to her office. "Yeah, sure. You keep saying that café is good, so I might as well shut you up and try it." She looked up to smile at me, and my heart skipped at least seventeen beats.

"Alright, then I'll swing by around noon." I laughed nervously; I could feel Axel's eyes on me from somewhere down the hall. "I'll...I'll see you in a few hours."

"Okay." She reached out to briefly brush her fingers against my arm before heading inside her office.

When I walked to my own office I noticed that someone was sitting inside. "Axel," I cried the moment I walked in, "What the hell-"

"Are you gonna admit it now?" My best friend whirled around in his chair and grinned at me, "Are you gonna admit that you're in love with her? 'Cause really, Roxas, in the past couple of months it's easy to see y-"

"I'm in love with her," I blurted, and I noticed how Axel's bright green eyes widened considerably, "I'm in love with Naminé. I love everything about her and I want nothing more than to spend every second of every day with her. I love her." I briskly walked to my chair and forced myself into it.

"Wow, that was surprisingly easy." Axel swerved to face me; I was just opening my laptop, "But...you're...you're really in love with her, right? You're not saying that just to shut me up, right?"

I nodded; I could feel my face turning red. "Yes, Axel, I'm telling you the truth. I'm really in love with her." I raked my hands through my hair as my computer booted up. "I don't know how it came to this, honestly. One day I was trying to avoid her, then the next day comes and I can't stop thinking about her."

Axel raised an eyebrow. "You're sure this isn't some kind of puppy-love infatuation sorta thing, right?"

My eyes dulled. "I thought you wanted me to like her."

"I know, but I'm just making sure. I mean...this is the first time you've ever openly admitted to feeling this way towards somebody, so I dunno if you know the difference between like and love."

"Of course I know the difference," I snapped, "I'm not a kid anymore."

"You don't have to be a kid to not know the difference," The redhead shrugged, "Love is something anyone can understand at any age, once you actually experience it of course. It's just that when it happens so early - like when you're ten, for instance - you don't know what it is 'cause you're too young to know about that sort of stuff yet. That's why people always say kids don't know anything about love - they probably do, it's just that they don't know _enough."_

I opened up my email. "That's the most profound thing I've ever heard you say in all the years we've been friends."

Axel smirked and leaned back against the leather chair with his hands behind his head. "I'll take that as a compliment." He yawned. "So when did you figure out you were bonkers for this girl?"

"Er," I looked upwards as I wracked my brain, "I guess a week after we first met her?"

"Any moment in particular?"

"There were a few, I guess," I shrugged, "The first time I sorta felt it, we were just hanging out and she was talking about her first relationship with some football-playing idiot in high school-" Axel snorted and I chuckled, "-and she got all sad and whatnot, and out of the blue she turns to me and asks for a hug."

My best friend let out a low whistle. "Ooh."

"Yeah," I shrugged again, "So I gave her a hug and it was during that moment I...I felt something." My eyes lowered to my keyboard. "I didn't know what it was, and I never felt that way before. It was so...warm, I guess? Comforting."

"Hugs usually make you feel that way, my friend." Axel added cheekily, and I glared at him.

"Oh, you know what I mean. It felt good to hold her like that, y'know? Like I was the only person in the world who could make her feel better, and I _wanted_ to make her feel better. It suddenly became a mission, like something I just felt I had to do. Ever since then I've been trying to make her smile, make her laugh. I like it when she's happy," I paused for a moment; my face was probably redder than Axel's hair, "Because it makes me happy too."

My best friend chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah," He smirked, "You're definitely in love, Roxas."

I flicked the bangs out of my eyes. "Have...have you ever felt this way towards someone before?" _Now_ I felt like a kid - a kid who was asking his older brother for girl advice.

"I don't really know, to be honest with you," The redhead frowned, "I mean, for me everything was all fun and games in high school and college-"

I remembered sleeping out in the halls because my dorm room would be, er, _occupied_ for the night. "Yes, I remember…" I muttered, and Axel laughed.

"Yeah, I never really took relationships seriously back then. Now that I'm outta school and into...I guess what you'd like to call the 'real world', I see serious people in serious relationships and it's gotten me thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"Just what the hell I'm doing with my life - my love life, to be specific. I poke and run, if you know what I mean." I made a disgusted face and Axel laughed again. "I know, I know - TMI. I'll tone it down for you."

"Thanks."

"But seriously speaking - I'm twenty-four, Roxas. _Twenty-four._ My older brother got married when he was twenty-five. My little brother is _getting_ married, and he just turned twenty-two. My parents are probably wondering when it's gonna be my turn."

"Lea's getting married?" I scratched my head. "I didn't know that."

"Yeah - I forgot to give you your invitation. Remind me to do that later," Axel cleared his throat. "But going back on topic - I'm getting pressured. What am I supposed to do?" He buried his face in his hands. "The idea of marriage scares the hell outta me, and Larxene-"

"Wait," I raised a hand, _"Larxene?_ You were thinking of-"

"It's been two years, Roxas. That's my longest relationship to date - and mind you, we don't _always_ have sex. There's other stuff too. I've never had _other stuff_ in a relationship before!"

That was true. "But...do you, er, love...her?"

"I don't know." Axel threw his hands up. "I don't know what I feel about her, now that I think about it. It's on and off." He ran his hands through his thick red spikes. "We can't stand each other most of the time - we're always at each others' necks...but…" A small smile crept onto his face, "Even though we're always fighting it just seems so fitting that way, y'know? Like, I can't imagine us being all cuddly and mushy and whatnot together - it's just not like us to do that, but at the same time I thought compatibility was key to a relationship."

"But that's what you guys have," I said, and I smiled when Axel raised an eyebrow in my direction, "You work together. It may not be like any conventional relationship where you get along all of the time; maybe that's just the way yours works out, by constantly bickering. As long as you guys are still together in the end that's all that matters, isn't it?"

"Heh, guess I'm not the only one full of profound things to say today." I blushed and lowered my eyes to my computer screen. Axel rose from his chair and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I guess you're right; I'll have to think about it some more."

"Don't feel pressured just 'cause your brothers are hitched or are _getting_ hitched - these things take time."

My best friend smirked. "You're talking as if you know everything there is to know about love and relationships." When I blushed again he laughed. "Later, Roxas."

When he left I leaned back in my chair and glanced up at the ceiling, folding my hands on top of my lap and breathing deeply. I thought about the things Axel and I discussed just a few moments ago and my brow furrowed; how could all of this happen in just two and a half months?

Was it really possible? Was there such thing as _chemistry_ between two human beings?

I wanted to tell Naminé all of these things, but at the same time I wasn't so sure if it was a good idea. I already told her I wasn't looking for a relationship, and we've been treating each other like good friends in the weeks we've spent together - maybe even a sibling-like relationship.

I thought about Naminé and I referring to each other as brother and sister, and I felt sick inside.

I didn't want to see her as my sister. I wanted to see her as…

I shook my head and leaned forward, trying to revert my attention to my computer. I was being stupid. I was being juvenile; why should I be worried about telling Naminé how I felt about her? That's high school stuff.

If she returned my feelings, then that would be great. If she didn't, then at least we'll still be friends.

I thought of us being friends on the long run, and I felt sick again.

What _now?_ I didn't want to be friends with Naminé? But I already was! If things didn't turn out the way I intended them to I should suck it in and live with what I have. I treasure our friendship, I really do. I never had as much fun with someone before. I never felt so compelled to tell anyone anything about my life before. Basically, Naminé was the closest friend I ever had. She knew things even Axel and Sora didn't know.

And I've only known her for two and a half months.

Maybe I could talk to her during lunch - no, wait...Axel and Demyx were coming along. I needed it to just be us two.

Maybe I could invite her over tonight? But she was just over yesterday...she might not want to.

What am I talking about? She comes over nearly every single day!

Here I go again with arguing with myself…

I exhaled sharply and ran my fingers through my hair. I needed to talk to her about this. _Tonight._ I made up my mind.

I was going to tell her how I felt about her.

--

Lunch was fun; Naminé and Axel got along pretty well, much to my surprise. I took it as a good sign.

We had just finished work for the day, and I was stuffing my documents into my briefcase. I really didn't need to bring anything home besides my computer, but I was mostly looking for a way to distract myself. My hands were shaking so bad, and I could hear my blood pumping in my ears.

I asked Naminé if she wanted to head over tonight during lunch, and she said yes. Ever since then, I couldn't stop thinking about what might happen tonight. What if I get rejected, or turned down? What if she says she's been feeling the same way?

I was so busy mulling over my thoughts that when Naminé knocked on my door I jumped nearly three feet in the air.

She giggled when she stepped inside. "I'm sorry, did I scare you?"

I tugged on my tie as I locked my briefcase. "Y-yeah, sort of."

Her white-blonde head tilted to the side. "What were you thinking about?"

I chuckled nervously as I ushered her out of my office. "How did you know I was thinking about something?"

"Why else would you be so scared when I knocked on that door? You were just putting things into your briefcase - that doesn't take a lot of thought, unless you were thinking of something _while_ you were doing it." She blinked up at me as we made our way towards the elevator.

"Well, what if I was thinking about how to arrange my things when I put them into my briefcase? Not everything can fit unless you strategize properly." I pressed the floor for the parking lot, and the doors slid closed.

Naminé pouted. Ugh, why did she have to be so cute? "Fine, if you don't wanna tell me I won't bother you."

I grinned victoriously. "Glad you see it that way."

After a few minutes of silence she sighed and brushed her hair over her shoulder; I could smell her rain-esque scent and I cringed. "Y'know, I'm happy you invited me over."

I smirked. "Even if I didn't I bet you'd be coming over anyways."

She glared at me momentarily, but then her face relaxed into a soft smile. "Well, today is different."

I raised an eyebrow. "Er, why?"

She flashed another smile. "Because."

I rolled my eyes. "You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope." She popped the 'p'. "At least not until later."

I didn't know whether to feel frightened or excited. I huffed in exasperation, and I rolled my eyes when she laughed at me. Once we were in the parking lot we separated into our respective cars and drove to my place.

"So," I asked once we stepped inside my apartment, "What's for dinner?"

"Hm," Naminé skipped over to my kitchen and opened my fridge, "Let's see what we have here…" She rifled through my food, and I chuckled as I made my way over to her. Her head barely reached the top shelf - she had to be at least five-foot-two, or something. She was so tiny.

She spun around minutes later with a bunch of stuff in her arms - I caught a quick glimpse of broccoli before she traipsed over to the counter. She began chopping vegetables, and I stood there awkwardly with my arms swinging by my sides. I decided to approach her, hoping she'd give me something to do, but she seemed too engrossed on chopping those vegetables. I noticed the way her brow was furrowed in concentration, and how a tiny part of her tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth when she was dicing the red peppers.

God, she looked perfect even when she was chopping vegetables.

"Er," I cleared my throat and she paused momentarily to acknowledge me, "What're you making?"

"Heat up the oven," She ordered, "And start seasoning the chicken."

Chicken? "I have chicken?" When she jutted her chin over to the packaged chicken breasts beside the diced vegetables I raised an eyebrow. "Huh, really now…" I preheated the oven and grabbed what spices I could find from my pantry. I chuckled as I dumped the chicken onto a foil-covered tray. "This is different." I commented.

"I thought you might like something that's not Nutella for once," I could hear the grin in her voice, "And whenever we _do_ have something without Nutella it's always either takeout or we actually _go_ out to eat." She grabbed a pan and began stir-frying the vegetables. "I thought it would be nice to have a good homemade meal...without Nutella."

"It smells good so far." I took a whiff of the stir-fry Naminé was making and I licked my lips.

"So," She stirred the vegetables with a wooden spoon, "Why did you invite me over?"

I gulped. "Do I have to have a reason? I mean, you come over all the time."

"But you never invited me during those times." She cheekily pointed out. She added some sauce into the stir-fry, and the entire kitchen began to smell invigorating.

"Er," I rubbed the back of my head as I tried to think of a good enough excuse; right on time the oven beeped, indicating that it was finished heating up, and I covered the chicken in foil before pushing the tray inside. "I-"

"It has to do with whatever you were thinking about before I came to your office, wasn't it?" Naminé lowered the heat and turned around to face me with her arms crossed over her chest. "It must be something really important if you keep stalling on me like this."

My heart threatened to pound right through my ribcage, and I gripped the edge of the counter. "It isn't _that_ important, really-"

She stepped closer towards me, and I backed up against the counter. "Are you sure?" She tilted her head like she always did, and I held in my breath so I didn't have to smell her hair. I would've lost it if I did.

"N-Naminé," I nodded over to the stove, "The stir-fry."

She sighed. "I'm gonna get it out of you eventually." She returned to her frying pan, and I sighed in relief.

"It's not like I'm the only one who isn't hiding something." I retaliated with a smirk.

"Well, I'm actually planning to tell you my secret later," She smirked right back, "So therein lies the difference." She poured the vegetables into a plate. "Once we finish eating we tell each other what we've been hiding, okay?"

My shoulders sagged. "Okay."

Dinner was sort of awkward, now that we both knew we had something we were hiding from each other. I chewed my chicken slowly as I tried to organize my jumbling thoughts: how was I supposed to tell her?

_So, __Naminé, remember when I told you how I wasn't looking for a relationship? Well...I think I changed my mind._

Ugh, that sounds so stupid.

_After spending so much time with you I've come to the conclusion that I really, _really_ like you and things would be great if we could start a relationship._

No, too awkward.

_Be my girlfriend? Please?_

Too desperate.

_You make everything beautiful. You are the sunshine in my life. You're the reason why I get up every morning. You are everything I've ever wanted. I cannot go through every day without seeing you. Please, be mine._

Ew.

"Roxas?" Naminé's soft voice interrupted my argument with myself, and I turned to face her. "You're getting your shirt wet."

"Huh?" I looked down, and I realized I was washing the dishes. I heard my shorter companion giggling behind me and I flushed. "Oops." I shut off the water and placed the clean dishes on the rack before drying my hands with a towel.

"That thing you've been thinking about must really be bothering you, hm?" She lightly pushed my shoulder before tugging me to the couch, "Okay, it's time to spill."

"Naminé," I groaned as she forced me to sit down, "I dunno about this-"

"Fine," She huffed, "If you're so squeamish about it I'll go first. Does that make you feel better?"

For some reason my nervousness increased tenfold. "Uh...I don't know."

She laughed and shook her head. "You're hopeless."

I hung my head. "I know."

"Hey," I suddenly felt a pair of warm hands on either side of my face, and when I looked up I realized Naminé was very, _very_ close to me. One hand gently massaged my temple and she smiled for me, "I didn't mean it literally."

I forced myself to speak. "I know you didn't." I straightened up and she let go of me - I felt disappointed, for some reason. "So, what was it that you wanted to tell me?"

She began to bounce excitedly in her seat. "Do you really wanna know?"

"Well, you said you've been meaning to tell me…"

"So?"

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, I want to know. What is it?"

She clapped her hands together, and her eyes lit up. "I met this guy a few days ago."

My heart dropped to my stomach, and my mouth went dry.

What did she just say?

--

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _The Saltwater Room _by Owl City._

_Aaaaaand we have reached the +100 reviews mark! Thank you so much to those who have read, reviewed, favourited and alerted this story! I appreciate each and every single one of you =)_


	9. You Don't See Me

**You Don't See Me.**

_What did she just say?_

She met a _guy?_

Wait, wait - you didn't let her finish her explanation. Maybe it's not what you think it is. Calm down. Calm down.

"Oh?" I tried to sound interested, "That's...good?"

"It is!" She exclaimed, "I was visiting the art gallery-"

"There's an art gallery?"

"There's a few, actually, but I was just visiting one close to my place," Naminé's tone was increasing in excitement as she delved deeper into her explanation, "And I met this guy who was there too, and we struck up a conversation."

"Uh...what did you talk about?"

"Art, of course!" She laughed, "We talked about tons and tons of art! He took me to a coffee shop just around the corner and we talked about it for _hours - _oh, Roxas, you don't have any idea how happy I was! I finally found someone who likes art in this darn city - and he likes the same kind of art as I do, too!"

I scratched the side of my head. "There's different kinds of art?"

She rolled her eyes. Oh no. "Of course there is, Roxas. There are different kinds of media - painting, sculpting, etcetera - and different historical periods and styles. Anyway," She flipped her bangs out of her eyes, and I winced for some reason, "Before I knew it we've been talking for _four_ hours. Four hours in a coffee shop! I've never talked with someone about anything for four hours before!"

I forced myself to smile. "That's great, Naminé. This is a good sign."

She squealed. "Oh, I hope so," She smiled and hugged a pillow to her chest, "I'm seeing him again this Friday. I'm so nervous," She shook her head, "Do I have to dress up? Do I have to act a certain way?"

I ruffled my hair and sighed. She never seemed this nervous when I took her out. This was bad. "I think it's best to just act like yourself, Naminé. Like…" I shrugged my shoulders, "I dunno, act the way you do when you're with me."

She tilted her head to the side, and my heart wrenched painfully. "How do I act like when I'm with you?"

I laughed a little sadly. "You act like yourself."

Her eyes dulled. "That doesn't help at all."

"Sure it does - you're just you when you're with me. You're funny, laid-back, sweet," I shrugged again, "You shouldn't over-think, because when you do you end up acting..._not_ like yourself, y'know what I mean?" I didn't know why I was giving her advice. Maybe it was because I loved her so much I just wanted her to be happy.

That sounded so freaking cheesy.

"Hm, yeah…" She tapped her chin with an index finger, "I suppose I am over-thinking everything. I still have time, right? It's only Wednesday - I have lots of time to figure out what to do!"

I smiled weakly. "So, what's his name?"

"Riku," Naminé answered almost immediately, "Riku Katutama. He has a degree in Art History and he works at an art gallery. He's an Expressionist - I've seen some of his stuff. Really cool."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sorry for not being an Art major in college."

Her eyebrows arched upwards and she crawled over to me, wrapping her thin arms around my waist and pressing her cheek against my shoulder. I stiffened at the contact. "I'm sorry," She mumbled against my shirt, "I didn't mean to demean you like that; I'm just excited that I finally know someone who likes the same things I do. I hope you're not mad at me." She pulled her face away from my shirt and glanced up at me with sad, beseeching eyes. I groaned.

Mad at her? How could I be mad at her?

"It's okay," I patted her head awkwardly, "I'm happy you found someone who shares your interests, really. I hope that date on Friday goes well."

"Are you sure you're not mad at me?" Her bottom lip stuck out a little, "You look kind of annoyed."

I laughed. "I'm not mad at you, Naminé."

She hesitantly let go of me. "Alright then, if you say so." She glanced downwards and timidly pushed the tips of her index fingers together. "I really don't want you to be mad - you're my closest friend, Roxas...I don't know what I would do without you."

_Friend. _I was her closest _friend._

The _one_ time I feel affection for somebody, I don't get any in return.

Now I remember why I've sworn off relationships in the first place:

Someone always gets hurt.

"I assure you that I'm not mad," I shook my head, "I really am happy for you, Naminé. I only look annoyed because it's been a long day."

"But you didn't look so annoyed before."

I thought fast. "Come here," I tugged her by the wrists and pulled her into me, hugging her as close as I could. She seemed startled at first, but she relaxed soon afterward and buried her face into my neck. I breathed in her hair and rubbed her back slowly with my hands, and I rested my cheek against the side of her head. We laid there for a long time - or at least it felt like a long time - not saying a word to each other. It was nice and torturous at the same time.

"I'm not angry," I whispered into her ear, "So don't think that I am, okay? I can never be angry with you."

She nodded against me. "Okay." She sniffled, and I could feel her fingers playing with my collar. "This...this isn't gonna change anything between us, is it?"

It already has. "Of course not. Why would it change anything?"

She shrugged and rolled around in my arms so that she was lying on her side. "I dunno...aren't you supposed to be wary of him, or like...insanely jealous or something?"

I cringed on the inside, but I chuckled anyway and squeezed her small body. "You watch too much TV, Naminé."

"Korean dramas, to be exact."

"Whatever." I sighed and rested my head against hers, and I listened to her breathe. It was comfortable lying together like this, and I hoped somehow that Riku would disappear and that Naminé would realize just how much she means to me so we can spend every day lying like this, but I had to be realistic.

This guy seemed perfect for her - at least from what she told me so far. They already caught onto something with the whole art business and whatnot. It's only natural that when they see each other again on Friday they'll find more things they have in common, and they'll start dating and I'll have to meet him since I'm assuming the role of Naminé's 'best friend'. I'll have to approve him, to see if he's worthy of dating my best friend or not.

Best friend.

That swore off any chance of a relationship whatsoever; everything between us was platonic. I couldn't tell her how happy she makes me when I see her smile or hear her laugh, because she would either misinterpret it in a friendly way or find me to be an incredibly awkward person. Best friends don't tell each other stupid things like that.

I had to get over this now. Naminé and I were best friends and nothing more. I had no chance with her. The best I could do was support her and make sure this Riku fellow doesn't hurt her. If he did...well, he'll have to answer to me.

"Roxas?" I looked down; Naminé's face was still pressed against my shirt.

"Yeah?"

"Y'know what'll make us feel better?" How did she know I wasn't feeling great?

I kind of already knew the answer so I got up, pulling her up with me. "I'll get the Nutella."

"You know me too well." She grinned. She grabbed my hand and pulled me to the kitchen, and I laughed quietly.

I guess I had to make the best of what I had, even if I was hurting on the inside.

--

"No." Axel stared at me with dull, _this-is-ridiculous _eyes.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not going to let this happen to you." He stood up from the leather chair and absently tugged on his tie. "The first time I see you going gaga for a girl, she _doesn't_ return your feelings. This isn't right."

I shrugged and tried to concentrate on my computer. "Well...that's the way the-"

"NO - the cookie will _not_ crumble this way. It's not gonna crumble at all!" The redhead spread out his arms, "This broad's been hangin' out with you almost every day since you first met, leading you on and all that, only to shaft you in the end? C'mon, man! You can't give up just like that!"

"But what else can I do?" I asked exasperatingly, "She met this guy who likes all that artsy fartsy crap, and she's going out with him this Friday. They've already hit it off and it's obvious they're gonna hit it off some more once they go out." I shook my head. "Trust me, Axel, I'm fine with being the best friend."

"Well, that's great for you but _I'm_ not fine with it." Axel jerked his thumb towards himself, and I rolled my eyes. "You're being too selfless, Roxas. You need to claim what's yours!"

"Isn't the best kind of love a selfless love?"

"Have you been watching chick flicks? 'Cause I only hear that kind of crap in chick flicks, and they almost _always_ misinterpret real-life relationships! If you want the girl you can't just expect her to realize you've made a bunch of mistakes and wait for her to come back to you!" Axel ran his hands through his red spikes, "You have to _fight_ to get her back!"

I sighed and leaned into my palm. "So...what do you suppose we do, then?"

My best friend cracked his knuckles and snickered deviously. "We break 'em up."

I rolled my eyes. "They're not even together."

_"Yet._ They're not together _yet,_ but it's likely they will be," Axel pointed out, "So we should keep them apart for as long as possible so it'll lessen the chances!"

I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Axel…"

He gaped at me in disbelief. "What? Do you not want to get the girl?"

"I do," I sighed, "More than anything...but at the same time she trusts me. I can't go around sabotaging relationships and expect her to still think of me as her best friend."

He crossed his arms and leaned against the side of my desk. "But you don't want to be her best friend."

"I know, but it's the best I have right now and I'm trying to live with it." I rumpled my hair. "She needs me to support her, Axel. I'm not going to make her unhappy just for my own personal gain."

"What if she doesn't know what'll make her happy? What if this is just a puppy-love crush? I mean, so what if the guy likes the same art as she does? There's probably billions of people out there that do! That doesn't mean they're all meant to be with her. Besides, don't opposites attract?"

"People who share the same interests attract too." I pointed out, and Axel groaned and smacked his palm to his face.

"You have to stop thinking about what _she_ wants, Roxas." He turned around and slammed his hands on my desk, staring me dead in the eye. "What do _you_ want? Tell me right now." He pushed my laptop closed.

I swallowed hard, but I retained my indifferent facade. "I just want her to be happy, whether it involves me or not."

My best friend rolled his green eyes. "You're lying."

"How am I lying?"

"Because I can see it. You want her to be happy with _you_ and not with that Riku dude, and you don't want to admit it because you don't want to look like a bad person." Axel straightened up and shook his head. "Look, man, I'm willing to help you out and all but it's only if you want to do this. I'm not gonna force you into anything."

"I don't want to do anything," I muttered through gritted teeth, "I'll be fine, Axel."

"Whatever," He scuffed the floor with his shoe, "Don't say I didn't ask, though." He ruffled his hair and left my office.

I blew out a short puff of air and flipped my laptop open again, trying to concentrate on the report I had been spending most of the morning on. As I typed I realized that I had to forward this to Naminé when I was finished so she could fax it, and then I thought about how she wanted to come over tomorrow night so I could help 'prep her up' for the big date on Friday.

Everything I did seemed to involve her.

I groaned and rubbed my face tiredly, trying to rid myself of any Naminé-related thoughts but nothing seemed to be working. Axel's words drove into my brain:

_"You want her to be happy with _you _and not with that Riku dude."_

Stop lying to yourself; you _know_ you want her to yourself. Screw this Riku guy; you had her first!

I hated how the voice of my conscience sounded suspiciously like my best friend - my _male_ best friend.

I wasn't going to ruin Naminé's chance of a happy, fulfilling relationship just so I can be happy too; not only was that childish but it was just absurd in general. It was also cruel and selfish. I didn't want to do that to her. I didn't want to hurt her.

My conversation with Axel continued to bother me well into the evening, long after I finished work. I was now in my apartment, eating dinner by myself. I gazed longingly at the empty seat across the table, and I sighed before shutting myself up with a forkful of pasta.

The apartment always seemed so barren whenever Naminé wasn't here. At least with Sora's kids there was a sense of relief because they would drive me crazy to a point where I wanted them out, but with Naminé I never wanted her to go. Sure, her superhumanly-strong addiction to Nutella was a little daunting but nobody was perfect, right? Besides, Nutella wasn't so bad…

I had to distract myself. I was over-thinking this.

Naminé was my best friend. I had to be happy for her. I had to support her.

After cleaning up in the kitchen I trudged over to the TV room and mindlessly flipped through the hundreds of channels, sighing when I couldn't find anything interesting to watch. The flickering images from the screen glared on the shiny surface of my guitar, and I turned to face it. I immediately shut the television off and grabbed my guitar; playing music was a good distraction.

I strummed the strings and hummed along to it, absently fingering chords and plucking random melodies that came to mind. I really needed to find my songbook.

The thing about playing a musical instrument: you're always bent on playing your part perfectly so you set your mind to playing and nothing else. If you try to think about something else you screw up. That was exactly what I needed at the moment: a complete, one-way distraction from Naminé.

I continued playing for a few more hours, but the more I played the more I found my mind drifting off for some reason. It was probably because I haven't played in so long, so I had nothing to really work on besides wracking my memory for songs I used to know how to play. It was either that or I was letting Axel get to me.

My fingers were beginning to hurt. I sighed and placed my guitar back on its stand, leaning back against the foot of my couch and ruffling my hair. Not even playing music was enough to pull me away from Naminé. I rifled through my CDs and popped a random one in; thirty seconds into the song I had to stop playing it because it reminded me too much of her. I tried playing other songs, but I kept thinking of her whenever I skipped to a new track.

This was bad.

I groaned and pushed my fingers through my hair. I never wanted someone this much before - and in such a short amount of time, too. This definitely had to mean something if I, a previously non-believer in love and who swore to never get involved in a relationship, is now hopelessly pining for a girl I'll never have. It had to be something if I managed to befriend and fall in love with someone in the span of two and a half months.

I absentmindedly reached into my pocket, and my fingers brushed against my phone. I remembered Axel's words, and I sighed as I fished out my phone and dialed his number.

This was going to bite me in the ass later on, I could feel it...

--

_A/N: Well, most of you kind of already figured out who the 'mystery guy' is so I guess it wasn't much of a surprise, haha._

_Thanks to all who have read, reviewed, favourited and alerted this story!_

_Chapter Inspiration: _Strange and Beautiful _by Aqualung._

_Naminé's endless rambling about Riku was inspired by Landon Pigg's _Falling In Love at a Coffee Shop.

_Some of the songs that reminded Roxas of Naminé were: Owl City's _Vanilla Twilight, _The Cranberries' _Linger _and The Cure's _A Letter To Elise.


	10. All Alone In The Universe

**All Alone In The Universe.**

"Do I look stupid?" Naminé called out from her closet.

"How can I make an educated answer when you won't let me see you?" I rolled my eyes. I was sitting on the edge of her bed with my head in my hands. It was Friday night and I felt like the world's loneliest guy. I have never felt this lonely in my entire life before, and yet there was this beautiful girl studying herself in a full-length mirror inside of her walk-in closet just a few metres away from me.

She was just a few too many metres away for me to reach out to her, to wrap my arms around her and claim her as my own. She was so close, yet not.

"Okay, okay," She huffed, "I'm coming out. Geez." She scrambled out of her closet, dressed in a simple lavender knee-length strapless dress with matching heels. She twirled around for me and grinned. "So? Do I look stupid or what?"

I stood up and shook my head. "No," I approached her slowly, "You look…" Gorgeous. Stunning. Sublime. Radiant. "Great." I pressed my hands down on her small shoulders and smiled softly. "He'll be impressed for sure."

Naminé blinked up at me with those silvery blue eyes of hers. "Do you really think so?" She asked hopefully, and my heart wrung at how adorable she was.

"Yes," I stretched my smile out a bit more, "I'm pretty sure he will." I moved one of my hands to her back and gently pushed her out of her room. "C'mon, he should be coming any minute. Bring a jacket - it's cold out." I helped her down the stairs - she admitted that even though she wore heels to work all the time she was dreadfully clumsy; I didn't see how that was true in the couple months that we've known each other - and rifled through the closet for something warm for her to wear.

"You're so good to me," She smiled as I helped her into her jacket, "I don't deserve you, Roxas."

"Stop being so overdramatic," I chuckled, "It's not like you're going off to war or anything."

She pushed the tips of her index fingers together and stared at the floor. "It feels like I'm being sentenced to death, really."

"C'mon Naminé, you've been on a bunch of dates before. How's this one gonna be any different?"

"This guy actually seems interested in me," She replied shyly, "I mean _really_ interested. That and I've never really met someone who's liked art as much as I do before." She groaned, clutched her head in her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. "I hope I don't screw this up. I really think this can go somewhere."

I forced the lump that had formed in my throat. "I'm pretty sure you won't mess anything up. Just be yourself, and don't be so nervous. It's just a date."

"You say that as if it's nothing." She huffed.

I shrugged and pushed my hands into my pockets. "They're really nothing until someone makes the first move." I unlocked the front door. "Anyway, I should be going. I hope everything goes well tonight."

She wrapped her skinny arms around me and thrust her head underneath my chin, nuzzling her head against my shoulder. "I'll call you right when I get home."

"You really don't have to-"

"Yes I do - I need to tell you what happened."

"What am I, your BFF?"

"Yes. I thought you knew that." She pulled away a little to peer up with me with those eyes...dammit, those eyes get me every single fricking time.

"It just seems a bit girly for you to call me to tell me what happened after your first date with your crush." I smirked, and I wanted to laugh when she flushed red.

"Well it's not like I have anyone else to talk to." She muttered stubbornly.

I hesitantly unwound myself from her and ruffled the back of my hair. "It just seems strange for you to be treating me like a sibling, or something."

She grinned. "Get used to it, _sister."_ She opened the door for me. "Expect a call tonight, okay?"

I sighed. "Fine. I'll see you later, then." Right when she closed the door on me I felt like screaming at the sky and tearing my hair out.

She sees me as a _sister._

A _sister._ What the hell?!

A _brother_ would've been somewhat less painful...but _sister?_ I think my manhood has just been insulted.

_It was just a joke,_ I told myself in a vain attempt to calm down, _stop being stupid. Stop overreacting. You're just edgy because she's going out with a guy who's at least a thousand times cooler than you are._

I hate my life.

As I crawled into my car my phone rang. I rolled my eyes at the call display. "What is it, Axel?"

"Did you leave yet?"

"I'm just leaving now," I muttered as I started the engine, "Look, I understand you want to help me but this is going too far."

I could hear Demyx and Larxene talking in the background. It sounded like they were in a car. "What are you talking about? We're just gonna do a little bit of spyin', that's all."

"Yes, Axel - that's classified as going too far." I rolled my eyes again.

"Y'know, even if you don't approve we're still gonna do it. We're already parked at the restaurant anyway - and Larxene loves the food here so we'd be eating regardless."

"You're ridiculous. All of you."

I could practically hear him grinning. "That's what friends are for. I'll update ya when the date starts! Bye now." Axel cancelled the call, and I shook my head as I shoved my phone back into my pocket.

I knew I was going to regret calling him...

I really didn't want to hear how her date was going. I didn't want to hear how their chemistry was practically exploding and how she looked so animated when she was talking to him. I didn't want to hear how compatible they were and how she hardly touched her food because she was too engrossed in their conversation.

I was supposed to be the one she was engrossed in. _Our_ chemistry should've been exploding. She should've been animated when she was talking to _me._

I was dreading Naminé's call. When I arrived home not long after Axel hung up I trudged to my room, pulled my shirt over my head and collapsed face-first onto my bed. I sighed into the mattress and closed my eyes in a feeble attempt to shut out my depressing thoughts.

I couldn't stop envisioning the fancy restaurant that Riku guy took my Naminé to: I pictured a candlelit dinner with crystal glasses filled with wine and hors d'oeuvres lined up on small china plates. I could hear a string quartet playing music in the background and I could see a kind French waiter dressed in a tuxedo ordering their food with a small notepad. I could practically smell the three-course gourmet food concealed underneath silver covers. I could hear Naminé laughing. I could see her smiling and giggling shyly behind one hand.

I tried picturing Riku. He was an artist, so the first thing that came to mind were artist-related stereotypes: a skinny build only a vegan appetite could accomplish; tight black pants, fitting black turtleneck sweater and a matching black beret; a cigarette in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other…

Wait a minute - what decade was I in, the sixties?

Naminé is _not _infatuated with a beatnik. She wasn't into those kinds of guys...was she?

My phone rang, and I jerked in surprise. I pulled my phone out of my jeans and sighed with relief when Axel's name blinked on the call display - wait...Axel…

"What?" I hissed; I could hear silverware scraping and clanging against dishes.

"We managed to get a table not so far away from theirs," My best friend reported in a business-like tone, "They seem to be hittin' it off, Roxas."

"I don't need to know." I groaned.

"Wait, wait - you still have a chance, man. Don't worry - maybe they'll have so much in common they'll realize the farthest they can go is the best friend stage, or something."

_"I'm_ her best friend, Axel."

"Well, maybe she'll realize that Riku's more suited for the best friend role and you're meant to be!"

I rubbed my face tiredly. "I highly doubt that will happen."

"You just have to be positive - _hey,_ what the hell! Demyx, that was _my_ calamari!" There were a few shouts of protest and the sound of eating utensils clanking together. I waited patiently, and then someone picked up the phone - it was Larxene.

"Look, I know how you have the hots for this girl and everything," She quipped, "And I understand that you want nothing more than to bone her-"

"I don't want to do that!" I snapped, "Why does everything have to lead to sex with you guys?!"

There was more struggling, and a _"Hey!"_ provided by Larxene. "Because when it comes to the bottom of everything," Axel had gotten his phone back, "Sex is always there."

I rolled my eyes. "No it isn't."

"Roxas, I don't wanna argue with you - the more we argue the more time we're wasting." Axel paused for a minute, probably to shovel some food into his mouth. "Oh, she's laughing."

"That's great," I muttered, "Can I hang up now? Ugh, I don't even know why I bothered answering this call-"

"I know it hurts to hear she's happy without you, but don't worry - pretty soon things will turn around. I got a plan, remember?"

"No you don't," I retorted, "When I called you the other day all you said was you were planning to break them apart."

"Which is my plan, obviously."

"It's not a plan if you don't have a clue how to _get_ to that point." I muttered.

"Don't worry, little buddy - I've got it all planned in my head," Axel chuckled, "Anyway, I'll call ya back if anything comes up. Have fun moping around by yourself!"

I tossed my phone aside and rolled onto my stomach, throwing an arm over my eyes and shaking my head. Everything was going _so well. _

Why didn't I tell her how I felt when I had the chance? Why did I have to be stupid and stubborn? Why did I have to be in denial?

All this thinking wore me out; I knew it was still early but I was just too exhausted to do anything else - it wasn't like I had plans to do anything else anyway. I stripped down to my boxers and pulled the sheets over me. I made sure the volume on my phone was set on high so that it would wake me up. The minute my head hit the pillow I fell asleep, dreaming sad dreams.

My phone eventually did ring, like I expected it to; when I glanced at the time I noticed it was just a little past midnight. Naminé and Riku were out for _that_ long?

"H-hello?" I muttered groggily, rubbing my eyes with my knuckles.

"Did I wake you up?" Naminé whispered worriedly.

"Yes you did, actually."

"I'm sorry," She mumbled, "Maybe I should-"

"No, no," I sat up and ruffled my hair, "It's okay. You said you were going to call me anyway." I paused for a minute. "So...how did it go?"

Her tone lightened up considerably, and my chest ached. "Oh, Roxas - it was _wonderful!_ Dinner was great; that French place I told you about - it has the greatest food, and while we were there he talked about his experiences. He traveled the world, Roxas! He got to see art from all over the place!"

"That sounds awesome." I tried to sound enthusiastic for her; maybe she would mistaken my dullness as fatigue.

"And afterward we just walked around the city, and he brought me to this park that had an incredible view - I really need to take you there sometime - and he said he always comes there whenever he needs time to himself and such."

Yep, he was definitely an _artiste._

"What else did you do?"

"Nothing much, really - we just talked, but it wasn't like it was boring or anything. It's so easy to talk to him, y'know? I felt like I could tell him everything, and - oh, Roxas, it was just so great. _He_ was so great. We just talked and talked, and before we knew it it was midnight!"

"Er, did you guys talk about anything else?"

She hesitated for a moment. "Well...I told him about you."

My stomach flipped at least three times. "W-what? Why? Were you running out of things to talk about?" I chuckled nervously.

"No, no - I just felt like I had to tell him about you. I told him you were my first friend when I moved here, and how you're the only one I feel comfortable with."

I gulped. "Er, wouldn't that be giving him the wrong impression?"

"He said he understands," Naminé replied casually, "There are just some things only best friends can share with each other. In some ways friendship runs deeper than the love between two people."

I felt like hanging up now, but I kept myself in place. "Well, you know I'll always be there for you, Naminé. He seems like a pretty good guy."

"He is," She sighed dreamily, "He's so cool. And you know what?"

"What?"

"We're going out again tomorrow and next Friday, and the day afterward he's gonna take me on a tour around the city to the different art galleries!" She squealed like a fifteen-year-old girl who was talking about her longtime crush, "You don't know how excited I am for tomorrow and next weekend!"

I sucked in a deep breath. "That sounds great, Naminé. This is a good sign."

"Are you okay?" She asked concernedly, "You don't sound so good, Roxas."

My eyes widened. "Er, it's probably 'cause you woke me up at some ungodly hour." I laughed a little at the end so I could sound a little more convincing.

"I'm sorry - I'm probably annoying you. I feel like I'm in high school all over again with this silly little crush." I could picture her staring dejectedly at the floor, and my heart ached.

"No, you're not annoying me. I'm happy to hear that your date went well - I already knew it was gonna be a success from the start, anyway." I sighed and rumpled the back of my hair. "Maybe you should get some sleep - it's been a long day for you."

She giggled. "I doubt I'll be able to sleep tonight, but I want you to get some sleep so I guess I should go. I'll see you Sunday, okay?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Sunday?"

"Brunch and babysitting! Don't tell me you've forgotten all about that!"

I laughed quietly. "Oh, right...I thought you wouldn't wanna do that anymore."

"Why wouldn't I?" She sounded hurt, "It's our tradition, remember? Just 'cause I like this guy doesn't mean I'm dedicating my entire life to him! You're important to me too, y'know - you had me first." I could hear the smile in her voice, and it made me smile too.

"I know. I guess I'll drop by your place Sunday morning, then."

"Mmhmm. I'll be waiting for you." She hung up, and I stared at my phone for a few minutes before setting it back on my nightstand.

_ "You had me first."_

I wonder if that was a double entendre? I guess I could always hope.

I wanted her to be happy, and I truly was happy that her date went well but at the same time I wanted her to be happy because of _me,_ and not because of some artsy fartsy Expressionist guy she randomly bumped into at an art show or whatever. I wanted her to see how much I loved her, and how stupid I was for not letting her know earlier. I was torn in between wanting to have her for my own and letting her go so she could be happy with someone else.

I hope I'm not developing bipolar.

I decided I needed someone to talk to about my complication, but I knew Axel wasn't the right person so when Saturday morning came along I picked up the phone and invited my brother over.

"So you're absolutely positive you're in love with her?" Sora asked the minute I opened the door for him; he was cradling a snoozing Koji in his arms.

"Why do you sound so surprised?" I asked warily as I let Kairi and Miyo inside.

"I'm pretty sure you know why," My brother chuckled as he gently placed his son on the couch in the TV room, "This is the first time I've ever heard you admit you liked somebody."

"And the one time he admits it the girl is in love with someone else." Kairi added wittingly, and I sighed.

"I know, I know - I have crappy timing." I ushered them into the kitchen and poured them some coffee. "But this _has_ to mean something if I want her this much, doesn't it? I've never wanted somebody in my entire life before!"

"I'm pretty sure it does," My sister-in-law agreed, "I think something was meant to happen between the both of you."

I sipped from my mug. "How did you come to that conclusion?"

She shrugged. "There's just a closeness I can detect between the both of you - the way you act, even the way you move around each other - it's like there's some kind of invisible force bound in between the both of you. It's strange...and if I add, a little romantic."

Sora rolled his eyes and leaned into his palm. "You read too many cheesy books."

His redheaded wife glared at him. "It's better than sweating all Sunday afternoon with Riku."

My head raised up, like a hunting dog who just heard its prey move. "Riku?"

My brother raised an eyebrow. "Have you heard of this guy before?"

I nodded. "He's...he's the guy Naminé…"

Kairi's eyes widened. "Oh my."

Sora scratched the side of his head. "Are you sure we're talking about the same Riku? I've known this guy since college."

"What did he major in?"

"Uh...something to do with art, I think-"

"Art History?" I asked warily, and when Sora nodded I groaned. "Yeah, that's definitely him."

"Wait, wait," Sora shook his head, "That could be just mere coincidence; both Rikus could've just taken Art History in college."

"I doubt it," I muttered, "Does he work as an artist?" Sora nodded, and I paled. "And he has his own-"

"Art gallery." Sora and Kairi finished for me, and I groaned again. I felt my brother's hand comfortingly rubbing my shoulder. "Wow, what a small world."

I buried my face in my arms. "So you hang out with him every Sunday?"

"Yeah - while Kairi's doing her own thing I'm playing soccer with Riku. That's why we leave the kids with you on Sundays - it's the only day of the week Riku and I have to spend together. We're pretty good friends."

"I don't know if this is a good or bad thing," Kairi frowned, "I like Riku; he's a really nice guy. Easy to get along with."

"A little on the moody side," Sora shrugged, "But then again a lot of artists are - at least the ones who are really into it."

I lifted my head briefly to roll my eyes at him. "Why didn't you tell me you were friends with this Riku guy since college? I've never seen him around in my life!"

"You never asked about him, and how was I supposed to know he was gonna end up stealing your girl?" My brother shook his head, "And as for the college thing he was always doing his own thing with his little art projects so he hardly had time to hang out, therefore I never had the time to introduce him to you."

"Great," I sighed, "What am I gonna do now?"

"Have you told Axel about it?" Kairi asked; Miyo and Koji could be heard stirring from the TV room and she excused herself to tend to them.

"I have, but he's been conjuring plans to break them up and I kind of don't want that to happen," I replied depressingly once she came back, "I mean...I want to be with Naminé more than anything but at the same time I want her to be happy too."

"Are you implying she isn't happy when you're together? 'Cause whenever I see you two you both look like you're having the times of your lives." My brother chuckled, and I flushed.

"Well, you know what I mean!" I shook my head and pressed my palms to my face. "He seems so perfect for her - how am I supposed to compete with him? They share the same interests and she had so much fun on their little date. She only sees me as a best friend; she already set up the roadblock."

"I think you mean _you_ set up the roadblock," Sora smirked, "You were the one who said you weren't into relationships."

"That was when I denied the fact I loved her. Now I can openly admit that I love her, and I think that's what's making it hurt so much right now," I mumbled through my fingers, "Love...it's just a shot in the dark, isn't it? You don't know where you're aiming, you don't know what you'll hit and sometimes you end up being the target. It just happens outta nowhere and you have no idea what you're supposed to do."

I felt Kairi's hand on my arm. "But that's what makes it so wonderful, Roxas. You need to take chances if you want to make it work." When I peered at her through the spaces in between my fingers she gave me a sad smile. "It'll be okay; you just need to take things as they are. If you're really meant to be together it'll happen eventually - not all great things come to you at once."

Sometimes I wonder how such a smart woman like Kairi ended up with my dunce of a brother. "Thanks," I dropped my hands and tried to smile, "I...I think I'll do just that."

Sora rose from his chair and clapped me on the back. "That's the spirit, bro. Keep that chin up!"

I smirked. "I'll try."

"Anyway," My brother made his way over to the TV room, "We're heading over to the zoo this afternoon. Wanna tag along? It'll help take your mind off of things, at least."

I shook my head. "Thanks, but no thanks - I've got some stuff to sort out."

Kairi gave me one last grin as she gathered Miyo into her arms. "Remember to take things as they are,vRoxas."

I put on my best innocent expression. "I will, don't worry." I guided them to the door. "I'll see you guys tomorrow!" I hastily closed the door on them and sighed in relief when they were gone.

Kairi was right - if Naminé and I were really meant to be it would happen eventually, right? Fate will let the pieces fall into place when the time comes.

I was worrying too much. Naminé would come to her senses soon enough, and when that happens I'll swoop in and tell her everything - everything I was supposed to say before Riku came into the picture. Everything would sort itself out and we'll all be happy and perfect and wonderful.

Everything will be okay eventually.

Right?

_--_

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: Savage Garden's _The Lover After Me.


	11. Always Be Waiting

**Always Be Waiting.**

It's a dog-eat-dog world out there.

Survival of the fittest.

Only the strong survive.

Which was why I have decided to make this my top priority: to make sure Riku and Naminé do _not_ get romantically involved. I knew it was originally Axel's plan but unlike him I _knew_ what had to be done.

When I called Axel about it he was enthused. He was glad I was finally beginning to look at things 'his way', and I had to admit that I kind of liked his point of view. The thought of beating Riku to get the girl was kind of...exhilarating.

After my brother and his family left Axel and I mapped our plan out, and the first objective was to get to know Riku better - through Naminé, of course. It was common sense to obtain information on the enemy. I had to practically milk out as much as possible from Naminé - without letting my jealously get the best of me.

Shouldn't be so hard...right?

"We didn't do much yesterday," She shrugged as she bounced Koji on her knee; it was Sunday now and we were babysitting my niece and nephew, "We just hung out over coffee and talked about artsy stuff. It was nice, though."

"Oh? Were you in that little café all afternoon?"

"No, no - we were at his place." My flaxen-haired companion replied nonchalantly, and I choked on my own saliva. Her head snapped in my direction, her eyes wide with alarm; Koji was giggling at me. "Are you okay?"

I thumped my chest with my fist a couple times to clear my air passageways. Miyo, who was on the floor nearby, shook her head as if she was disappointed in me. "Y-yeah, I'm alright. Uh-" I nervously ruffled my hair, "Y-you...you hung out at..._his_ place? But you've only known him for...f-for how long? Barely a week!"

She stared at me. "So? It's not like we did anything naughty-" I flinched at her words but she didn't seem to notice, "-plus he had some of his artwork lying around so I got to see 'em up close and personal. It was pretty interesting."

"He sounds like a real art guru, eh?"

"Oh, he is. He wants to go back to school for his masters, and then he's gonna apply for a Ph.D. Doctor Riku Katutama…" She sighed dreamily, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, "That sounds so fitting, don't you think?"

So he was a bit of a nerd, too. "I suppose so. Is he into anything else other than just art? Sports, perhaps?" Maybe he mentioned Sora to her...but then again if he did she would've told me already.

"He says he plays in a soccer league every Sunday with a few friends, and he's into philosophy. He showed me his library; it's stacked with Plato and Aristotle and all of those big thinker-types." Naminé sighed again. "Isn't he so well-rounded?"

Man, this guy was perfect. I don't stand a chance… "He sure does. You got lucky, didn't you?"

She giggled and shrugged her puny shoulders. "I guess I did. I'm thankful for that chance encounter!" She must've read the disheartened expression on my face because she placed Koji on the floor and leaned in towards me, grazing my sleeve with her fingers. "I'm also thankful for you, Roxas."

I scoffed and leaned into my palm. "Why? I haven't done anything worth mentioning. I'm not into philosophy or Expressionism, and I don't play soccer every Sunday with my friends." I sounded like such a brat, but I couldn't help it. I wasn't even worthy of comparing myself with this guy. Maybe she really is better off…

"Why are you always comparing yourself to him?" Naminé's eyes narrowed, "That's unfair of you, you know. You can't make yourself look any worse than him like that - you know it's gonna make me feel bad!"

"It's not my fault," I shot back, "What else am I supposed to do when you talk about him? You're always placing the guy on a freaking pedestal, going on about how awesome he is and how you've never felt this way about someone before. What am I supposed to say? How am I supposed to react?" I glared at her. "Tell me, Naminé - how?"

"I…" Her voice was a little higher than usual, "I thought you said you didn't find my endless babbling about him annoying."

I rolled my eyes and turned away from her, resting my elbow on the armrest and leaning into my palm. "Yeah, well maybe I was being nice about it earlier."

I felt her tugging on my sleeve. "Roxas," She whimpered, "I don't want you to be mad at me. I'm sorry - I promise I won't be so annoying anymore. Please, look at me."

I had a feeling that if I turned around to look at her my soft side would re-emerge and I'd end up not following the plan Axel and I concocted. At least by staying angry it would only make me more determined to go through with it. I stood up and shook my head.

"Roxas," She sounded a bit more desperate now, and I wanted more than anything to turn around and look her in the eye but I had to keep my resolve, "Wait-" She grabbed my sleeve, and I had no choice.

I turned to face her, and my heart nearly broke at the crestfallen expression she was wearing. Her eyes were glazed over, and she was staring at the floor. "Naminé," I murmured, drawing her to me. She whimpered again as she pressed herself against me, clinging to my body for dear life. She sniveled and I felt the shoulder of my shirt getting wet; was she crying?

"Huh?" Koji's head was tilted to the side. "Nami?"

"See," I whispered against her hair, "This is why I can never be angry with you."

Naminé sniffled and nuzzled her head against my neck. "W-why?"

I smiled as I pulled her back onto the couch. She curled up against me and I held her close, wiping her tears away and brushing her bangs from her eyes. "Because I can't stay mad at you for long, and I always feel bad afterwards."

She giggled and snuggled closer against me. "Softie." She wrapped her arms around my neck and sighed. "You shoulda told me earlier, you know. Bottling things up is bad for you - see what happened? You blew up on me and now I feel horrible."

"I know, but…" I paused for a minute, "You...you're always so happy when you talk about him. So animated. I like it when you're happy, Naminé, and if that means I have to sit beside you for hours on end just to hear you ramble on about some guy I don't know then I'll put up with it. I'd rather see you happy than...than what you were just doing a few seconds ago."

"Bawling?"

"Yes." I squeezed her and nuzzled my cheek against her hair. Her scent wafted into my senses and I closed my eyes. I wanted to get used to this so badly.

Ugh, I was straying away from Axel's plan again…

But what could I do about it? I wanted Naminé to be happy, but at the same time I wanted to be happy too. A part of me wished she'd feel the same way so she would stop harking about Riku and we'd finally be together, but another part of me wished I'd let go of her so we can both move on with our lives.

I hated this. I hated being stuck in between. I hated being so indecisive. I hated being so goddamn emotional. I was _never_ like this before Naminé came along. Before Naminé came along I had a great life. I was fine on my own. I didn't spend late nights wondering what she was up to. I didn't daydream about her pretty eyes or her soft hair during work. Things were so much better back then. I was free from all the emotional baggage, all the excess I was dealing with at the moment.

But when I looked down at the girl in my arms - who had somehow managed to fall asleep to the rhythmic banging of Koji's toys against the floor - my opinion changed again. I raised my hand to stroke her cheek, and she smiled softly and moved to lean into my palm. She mumbled a few sleep-ridden words before shifting around, pressing her body closer against mine and lowering her arms to my waist. She nuzzled her head against my chest and breathed deep; another small smile stretched across her lips and I absently slid my hands through her hair.

I thought about all of those things and I tried comparing them with the thoughts I had previously. What was better: a life without a broken heart, or a life with Naminé?

What did I really want?

_A life with __Naminé? _My conscience teased, _You know that's not gonna happen. She's probably dreaming about life with someone else right now - someone who's more compatible. If you keep telling yourself there's hope for you two you're just gonna spend the rest of your life waiting for something that'll never happen. Face it - you had your moment, and you let it slip through your damn fingers. Leave the pieces where they lie and move on with your life._

"Mm," The blonde in my arms stirred, clutching a part of my shirt with a pale fist, "Did I fall asleep?"

I chuckled. "Kinda. You were out for at least ten minutes."

"Ugh," She yawned and shook her head; her platinum-blonde tresses tickled my chin, "Crying makes me so tired afterwards." She rubbed her eyes with her knuckles. "And it makes my eyes burn too - long after I finished crying!"

I smiled sheepishly. "Er, sorry. I've learned from my mistakes."

She smirked up at me and poked my nose. "You better! Huh, making a girl cry..." She scoffed mockingly, "How ungentlemanly."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, how was I supposed to-" A sharp jolt of pain shot up my leg and I twitched, "-OW!"

Naminé immediately lifted herself off of me, sitting up and staring back at me with wide eyes. "What the heck just happened? Did I-"

Childish giggling emerged from the foot of the couch; Miyo was laughing behind her hand. Her brother was standing beside her with his face screwed up in anger.

Naminé raised an eyebrow and lifted Koji onto her lap. "Did you just kick your uncle in the shin?"

Koji momentarily crawled out of Naminé's arms to punch me in the stomach; it happened so fast I didn't even have time to defend myself. I groaned and doubled over; that kid was stronger than he looked. "W-what did I d-do?" I wheezed; Miyo was laughing louder now, and I thought I heard my blonde companion stifle a giggle or two. Traitor.

My nephew protectively pressed himself against Naminé, glaring at me as he rested his cheek against her shoulder. "You hurt Nami." He spat as his violet eyes narrowed even more.

"Huh? No I-"

"Uncle Roxy made Nami cry!" Koji protested.

"Yeah." Miyo agreed as she crawled onto the couch to sit beside Naminé.

My supposed best friend was blinking back at me as if nothing was going on. She finally shrugged. "Well, you heard 'em."

"You're not going to listen to a couple of two-year-olds, are you?" I sighed. My leg was still throbbing; I was probably going to get a bruise later on.

"But they're stating the truth, Roxas - you _did _make me cry." She pointed out, and her two little friends nodded in fierce agreement.

I threw my hands up in defeat. "Okay, then what do you suppose I do to make up for it?" This was so dumb. She _always_ sided with them, and never with me!

Miyo pressed her index finger to her chin and looked up at the ceiling. "Hm…" Her expression brightened and she grinned at me. "Kiss it better!"

My eyes widened and my ears grew uncomfortably warm. "W-what?"

Koji clapped his hands together. "Like Mommy and Daddy."

Naminé's face was unreadable; she was blinking at me again, like she was waiting for me to answer. I gulped. "Uh…" I watched my nephew crawl out of her arms so he could sit beside his twin sister. He motioned for me to move forward, and my heart accelerated. "Wait just a minute-"

Naminé still wasn't saying anything. Why was she being so..._not_ emotional? A two-year-old just told me to kiss her!

"Kiss, kiss!" Miyo chanted eagerly, thumping her tiny fists against her thighs.

As soon as I opened my mouth to protest again the doorbell rang. Bless my brother and his wife.

"Hey Roxas - uh, why do you look so red?" Sora raised an eyebrow at me as I walked him to the television room.

"R-red? I look red?" I laughed nervously and tugged at my shirt collar. "I must have the heat turned on too high - I'm sweating bullets!"

"Is he okay?" Kairi asked as she circled the couch.

"I hope so." Naminé giggled; she had somehow returned to normal. "He wasn't like that ten minutes before."

"Oh? Why?" My brother asked as he scooped Miyo up in his arms; he didn't forget to slip me a sly grin.

"Nothing!" I growled, and everyone laughed at me - even the kids.

"I'll get it out of you eventually." Sora winked as he opened the door. "See you guys next week."

I was rolling my eyes as I locked the door. When I turned around Naminé was chortling behind her hand like some kind of giddy schoolgirl. I raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny? You just let a couple of two-year-olds bully me - you _always_ let them bully me!"

She grinned and stepped towards me. "That's because it's entertaining."

I crossed my arms. "Some friend you are." When she reached for my hands, I stared at her. "So…" I tried to ignore how perfectly our fingers fit together, "Uh, what do you suppose we do now?"

She frowned. "I actually have to head home - I've got loads of work to do for tomorrow." She squeezed my hands, and I gulped. She had no idea what she was doing to me.

Why was she even doing it anyway? This wasn't how best friends were supposed to behave towards each other!

"Alright," I quickly withdrew my hands from hers and moved towards the door, "I guess I'll take you home now."

It was a bit of an awkward drive to her place; Naminé spent most, if not the entire duration of the drive with her hands folded on her lap and her head turned towards the window. I was gripping the steering wheel so tight I thought the skin on my knuckles was going to split open.

It seemed like forever had passed when I finally pulled up by the front of her house. She slowly unbuckled her seatbelt and turned towards me with one hand tugging on the little piece of hair that stuck out somewhat at the back of her head. "Today was...interesting." She gave me a contrite smile.

"Yeah, it was." I ruffled my hair and shifted my eyes to the dashboard. "Uh-" I had no idea what I was going to say next because right then Naminé leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.

The skin her lips had touched felt like it had been set on fire; I rubbed the spot, completely dumbfounded. Her shy giggling sort of brought me back to reality, and I turned to face her; she was already out of the car. Before closing the door, however, she poked her head inside. "Now you owe me one."

I forced myself to find my voice. "O-owe you what…?"

"An unexpected kiss, duh." She shook her head. "Snap out of it, Roxas." She laughed again. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Uh, okay." I sounded so stupid. I waved as she closed the door, and I watched her skip up the short path to her quaint little townhouse. She waved at me one more time before closing the door behind her, and once she was gone I started my engine in a daze.

It was just a kiss on the cheek. Why was I freaking out? I had been kissed on the cheek a billion times.

_"Now you owe me one."_ Great. I had no idea how I was going to accomplish this.

When I got home, the first thing I did was call Axel. I had to tell him what I learned today so we could decide if it was safe to move forward with our plan.

"Huh, he seems like he knows everything," My male best friend chuckled bitterly as I moved around my kitchen, "You're up against some pretty stiff competition here, Roxas."

"Don't remind me," I muttered as I seasoned the steak, "I have to hear about him every time I see her now. It's getting really annoying."

"Well, get used to it - and pay attention too! We need to know as much about him as possible!"

"I know, I know," I ruffled my hair as I started up the stove, "Axel...d'you really think this is a good idea?"

"What the hell is wrong with you, man? First you say you didn't wanna do this, then you say you think you should, then you say you don't again, then you do...and now you don't again! Y'know what, I don't care anymore. I don't care if you think this is right or not - _I_ am doing this. I'm gonna do it regardless of what you think!" Axel went on and on and on, and I pretended to pay attention as I made myself some dinner. I 'yeah-ed', 'of course-ed' and 'uh huh-ed' my entire way though his little rant.

"So what is it gonna be, Roxas? Are you in or are you not?"

I sighed and flipped the steak over. "I know I keep changing my mind...it's because whenever I see her and she's talking about him she always looks so happy, so alive. I don't want to ruin that for her...but at the same time I know I'm gonna have to if I want her to be with me." I shook my head. "Ugh, I sound so selfish."

"That's how love is sometimes, man," My redheaded best friend said sadly, "You gotta claim what's yours."

"How do I know if she's really mine or not?" I asked miserably.

"Well, the fact that you've never been interested in a girl before is one hint. The fact that making her happy is what's most important to you is another. The-"

"Alright, alright," I sighed as I brought my cooked food over to the table, "I get it. So…" I sat down and grabbed my knife and fork, "I guess we're still on for Friday?"

"And Saturday. You can't forget about Saturday."

"Axel, we can't spy on them two days in a row! It'll be too obvious!"

"Not if we don't get caught, stupid." I rolled my eyes, even though I knew he couldn't see me. "We'll be slick, don't worry. All we gotta do is dress up like a bunch of artsy fartsy types and look interested when we go to the art gallery - it'll be a cinch!"

I admired my friend's ambition, but sometimes he could be a little unrealistic. "I think it's gonna take more than just a disguise to fool people." I stabbed at the steak with my fork - I think I overcooked it.

"Trust me, Roxas, we'll be fine. With Larxene and Demyx to back us up, how are we gonna fail?"

"That sounds very encouraging."

"It should be. Anyway, Larxene's forcing me to take her out for dinner tonight so I gotta run. I'll see you tomorrow morning!" The line went flat, and I continued to eat my dinner in solitude.

I had a real bad feeling about this weekend, but at the same time I knew I had to do this. Riku and Naminé...they couldn't be together. I wouldn't allow it.

I stared at the empty seat across from me. For some reason I was craving Nutella now.

--

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _Shiver_ by Coldplay._


	12. Want Me, Need Me

**Want Me, Need Me.**

I was pretty sure Naminé knew I was jealous of Riku now, because at work she made sure I was the centre of her attention. She hung out in my office whenever she had nothing to do, and she'd drag me out to lunch - to have Nutella of course - and if we actually went to a restaurant she would insist on paying everything. In the evening she would come over, and we'd have Nutella again. In the beginning I was sick of it because we always ate Nutella, but now that I realized I loved Naminé more than anything I needed the simple hazelnut spread almost as much as I needed her. Maybe it was a package deal? I never figured it out. Nutella and Naminé just seemed to go well together.

Just like Riku and Naminé.

"So," I briefly glanced over my computer screen to glance at my blonde companion, who was taking yet another Nutella sandwich out of her white lunch bag, "Are you excited for tomorrow?"

"Of course," She smiled as she handed me my half of the sandwich, "But I must admit...I'm even more nervous than I was when we had our first date."

I pretended to be extremely interested in my sandwich. "Er, why's that?"

"I don't really know," She admitted with a coy smile, "I guess it's 'cause I feel so self-conscious around him - like, I have a hard time thinking up of what to say to him. What if he thinks I'm stupid, or ignorant?" She shook her head, "I know it sounds like I'm over-thinking everything, but I can't help it. It's just the way I am."

I rustled my hair and took a hesitant bite of my sandwich. "What are you planning to do?"

"We're just going for dinner and a movie - nothing special, since we're doing something different on Saturday." Her eyes lit up at the prospect of yet another amazing outing with Mister Perfect. "Spending the whole day browsing art with him…" She sighed dreamily for a moment before shifting her eyes to her lap. "If I'm nervous for tomorrow I'm probably scared stiff for Saturday."

I ignored the jealous ache that was pulsating in my chest. "I've already told you to just act like yourself, Naminé. I mean, he seems to like you so far-"

"What makes you think that he does?" She asked alarmingly, and I was taken aback by her sudden franticness. It was kind of frightening.

"Well, if he wasn't interested in you he wouldn't have asked you out on more dates...right?" Why was I supporting this? _I_ was supposed to have her, not Riku!

The smaller blonde fiddled with her sandwich. "Maybe they're just pity dates." She mumbled pathetically.

I chuckled. "I'm pretty sure he wouldn't ask you out on _three_ of them - and if the last one was considered a pity date why did he invite you over to his place?"

When Naminé's face turned a bright red I couldn't help but laugh, despite the hurt I was feeling on the inside. "Okay," She muttered, "I get it." She shoved the rest of her sandwich in her mouth.

I smirked triumphantly. "Told you so." I looked back at my computer screen and noticed a new email from Axel:

_Stop acting so friendly! She's _yours,_ remember?!_

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I typed a quick reply.

_How did you know I was acting friendly? And don't you use the glass wall excuse again - it's actually a little hard to hear normal speaking voices!_

Axel replied a split second after I sent my message.

_Your facial expressions tell all, buddy._

I quickly glanced over Naminé's shoulder; no one was out in the hallway. Axel was creeping me out.

"Roxas?" I returned my attention to my blonde companion, who was getting up from her seat.

"Yes?" I tugged on my tie.

"I hope you know I'm coming over again today." She grinned and approached me slowly; my heart threatened to puncture a hole in my chest. "You're gonna have to butter me up so I have enough confidence for tomorrow night."

Why did _butter me up_ sound so dirty for some reason? I pushed the stupid thought away. "Uh, yeah, sure. Of course you can come." When she bent over to give me a hug I stiffened. "Er-"

"I honestly don't know what I would do without you," She whispered in my ear. She hugged my neck tightly and I forced my arms to move around her waist, "You're the closest friend I've ever had, Roxas." She kissed my cheek, and I fought to keep myself from sighing.

I patted the back of her shoulder awkwardly. "Anytime, Naminé." When she let go of me and straightened up I cleared my throat and tugged on my tie again. "Y-you know I'll always be here for you."

She smiled slightly and pulled on her hair. "I'll be here when the day is finished, okay?" She waved before leaving the room, and I could breathe again.

This was going to be the death of me.

_Naminé _was going to be the death of me.

The hours passed by like years; it seemed like the day was never going to end. I couldn't stop thinking about their impending date and how well I knew it was going to go. I couldn't get Naminé's laughter out of my head, the laughter I knew she'll be making on Saturday because Riku was so charming, so artistic, so perfect.

Things she would never see me as.

"Roxas," Naminé was suddenly standing on the other side of my desk, "You're staring into space again."

"W-what-" I shook my head and stumbled to my feet, closing my laptop and reaching for my briefcase, "-sorry...it's been a long day-"

"You look exhausted." She approached me and held onto my sleeve. "Are you okay? You've been looking so out of it lately - maybe coming over isn't such a great idea-"

"No, no," I interrupted her and forced on a smile, "Don't worry, I won't fall asleep on you. It's...there's just been a lot of work lately and it's stressing me out." I watched her pack my things for me, and when she handed me my briefcase I thanked her quietly.

"I'll make you something special for dinner, then. Don't worry, there won't be any Nutella in it." She gave me that sweet smile of hers before pulling me out of my office.

"Thanks, Mom." I chuckled as she pushed me into the elevator. I really was tired and stressed out, but it definitely wasn't from work. If anything work was my least concern as of late.

I languidly drove us back to my place; it was surprising how I didn't fall asleep behind the wheel. Naminé forced me to change out of my clothes while she went to work in the kitchen.

"It's supposed to be a surprise, dummy," She rolled her eyes as she shrugged out of her jacket, "Which is why I need you to be distracted for at least an hour."

"Changing clothes doesn't take an hour, Naminé."

"Then find something else to do if you finish early!" She pushed me into my room and closed the door. "Don't come out until I tell you to!"

I sighed and leaned against the door for a minute to recompose myself. I felt bad for making her work hard for me, but even if I tried to fight against it she would win in the end. That's just the way Naminé was - either that or I was so hopelessly in love with her she completely had her way with me.

If she wanted me to kill time I might as well take a shower. I made sure the water was cold so it could wake me up; I jumped a little when the first few drops pelted my back, but I eventually got used to the frigid temperature and shivered underneath the water.

After ten minutes I figured I was awake enough, so I stepped out of the glass cubicle and dried myself off. I wrapped the towel around my waist and ran my fingers through my damp hair. I glanced into the mirror and raised an eyebrow; I looked kind of funny when my hair wasn't sticking up all over the place.

When I stepped out of the bathroom the door to my room swung open. "Roxas," Naminé walked straight inside without even bothering to knock, "Where's your-EEK!" She immediately raised her hands to her face and began to make strange whiny noises; I think she was muttering 'Oh my God' over and over again.

I raised an eyebrow, confused at first, but when I remembered I wasn't wearing anything but a towel my face turned beet red. "Er, I thought you told me to change my clothes."

"I didn't know you were gonna take a shower!" She squealed behind her hands. "Gah-" She shook her head, "-hurry up and put some pants on!"

"Oh, right." I lumbered into my closet and pulled on a pair of boxers and jeans. When I returned to my room Naminé was still covering her face. "Er, I have clothes on now." Why was I acting so calm? The girl I was in love with just saw me almost completely naked!

She slowly lowered her hands; her face was probably redder than mine. "Oh, and you don't even bother putting on a shirt?" She rolled her eyes, though she was smiling now.

I smirked, though I still felt a little embarrassed. "Why, not satisfied with the merchandise?"

She turned red again, and I laughed. _"Anyways,_ I just...I just wanted to ask if you had anymore potatoes - I couldn't find any in the fridge."

"Oh. Uh, there should be a bag in one of those lower cabinet thingies next to the stove." I awkwardly rubbed the back of my head. "There...there should be more...in there."

She nodded quickly and shuffled out of my room. "Okay. Thanks." She closed the door, and I swallowed nervously.

That was _not_ how I wanted Naminé to notice me.

I wriggled into a white t-shirt and sat on the edge of my bed, sighing and ruffling my drying hair. Well, that was definitely embarrassing.

It was _her _fault for forcing me into thinking of ways to waste an hour!

I stumbled around my room for a bit, trying to find something to do. I tried reading some books and sifting through my laptop but nothing really interested me. As the time passed I began to smell something invigorating in the kitchen; Naminé really was making something special. Now I felt even more guilty than before.

"Roxas," Her soft voice called, and my ears perked up like an eager dog, "Dinner's ready!"

"Coming." I ruffled the back of my hair and stepped out of my room. The smell was stronger now, and I could feel my mouth watering with every step I took.

When I finally reached the kitchen I gasped at all the work Naminé had done for me. She had managed to make my favourite dish of all time: black peppered steak with an assortment of vegetables and potatoes on the side. A dark green wine bottle sat in the middle, flanked by two crystal clear glasses. The only things missing were the candles, but then I figured out why they were absent: the both of us were pretty clumsy (her more than me), and having two klutzes handle candles wasn't exactly the smartest thing.

I chuckled sheepishly and reached for my hair again. "How romantic." I commented teasingly, and I laughed harder when I spotted the pink tinge spread across my shorter companion's cheeks. "Wine? We have work tomorrow, you know."

Naminé rolled her big blue eyes as she bent over to pour the each of us a glass. "It's not like we're planning to get hammered, and unless you're an awfully cheap drunk one glass isn't gonna set you off." I sat on one end of the table while she sat on the other. "I noticed you haven't been acting like yourself lately…" Her voice lowered and she stared forlornly at her plate, "And for some reason I feel like I'm the reason behind it. I'm sorry, Roxas."

The guilt inside me increased tenfold. "N...nothing's your fault, Naminé," I laughed nervously; I wasn't exactly the best at lying, "Don't feel bad. I already told you I'm just stressed out 'cause of work and all."

"I-I know," She pushed the tips of her index fingers together, "But...I dunno - it just feels like I'm part of the reason why you've been so out of it lately. You look like you haven't been sleeping...and you don't talk as much. It worries me."

Was I making my jealousy _that_ obvious? "You're _not_ the problem, Naminé, so don't worry about it." I gave her a smile as an attempt to further convince her. "Hey, you better eat up before your food gets cold, hm?"

She laughed softly and nodded before picking up her wine glass. "Okay." She raised it a bit above her head and grinned. "To us?"

I chuckled and nodded. "To us." I took a sip before digging into my food.

As usual Naminé's cooking was nothing short of amazing - well, to me _everything_ about her was nothing short of amazing so I guess that wasn't much of a surprise. We talked for a bit while eating - mostly about just random topics we picked from the top of our heads, and after cleaning up we lounged around in the television room like always.

"Y'know what?" She glanced up at me from underneath my chin, blinking curiously. She was so cute when she did that.

"What?"

Her cheeks turned pink again. "You're not as unfit as I thought you were." She mumbled before pressing her cheek against my collarbone.

I laughed. "So you _did _like the-" When she grabbed the remote and deliberately turned up the volume on the television I rolled my eyes. "-hey!" I tried to snatch the remote from her but she was surprisingly resilient for someone so small.

She stuck her tongue out at me and crawled to the other end of the couch before holding the remote high above her head. "Mine." She beamed childishly.

I narrowed my eyes, and I smirked when she stared back at me with a worried look on her petite face. "No it isn't." I dove towards her, reaching for her sides. She shrieked with laughter as I began to tickle her relentlessly; she tried wriggling away but I firmly shifted my weight so that I was able to pin her down and tickle her at the same time.

It took a good five minutes for us to realize the...er, _position_ we were currently in.

I was right on top of her with my arms resting against the couch on either side of her head. She had one hand cupped around the back of my neck and the other on my chest, just over my stuttering heartbeat. The both of us were red-faced and breathing heavily. The tips of our noses were touching.

"Uh-" I shook out of my daze and sat up, rumpling my hair, "S-sorry-"

"It's okay." She sat up immediately after I did, smoothing out her shirt and pulling nervously on her curl of hair. "Erm…" She reached for the remote, which had tumbled onto the floor during our tickling session, and lowered the volume back to normal.

Today was just full of awkward Roxas/Naminé situations.

I cleared my throat and tousled my hair for the umpteenth time in the past couple of minutes. The awkwardness was enough to suffocate me, and I wracked my brains for something to say but I couldn't come up with anything impressionable, suave or at least amusing.

"Hey, Roxas?" I lifted my head to acknowledge her, "I...I have to go."

Great. I killed the mood. "Uh, yeah...sure. Lemme get my keys." My palms were sweaty, my throat was dry and my heart was pounding as I rose on quivering knees. I could hear Naminé following me silently as we left the apartment, and the elevator ride to the parking garage was eerily quiet.

I started the car and immediately reached for the radio, letting out a small puff of air as I cranked the volume. She didn't seem to mind.

It seemed like years before I finally pulled up in front of her place. She turned towards me slowly, and I gulped. "Thanks," She smiled hesitantly before opening the door, "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

I couldn't find my voice, so I just nodded. She gave me another coy smile before closing the car door softly behind her, and I groaned as she jogged to her front door.

I was an idiot - a complete idiot.

Of course she would've found that awkward - she likes _somebody else. _I was only her best friend. Stuff like that never happened between best friends.

I couldn't stop thinking about it when I got home. I couldn't even sleep. At work the next day I was a zombie; I didn't even notice Axel, Demyx and Larxene - the trinity from hell - waltzing into my room a little past lunchtime.

"Hey, what's with the long face?" Larxene snickered, and I sighed and pressed my palm to my face.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, whatever it is you gotta perk up for tonight," Axel puffed out his chest, "And we have tomorrow too, which will be even harder."

I shook my head with my palm still stuck to my face. "Axel, I can't do this. I...I can't ruin this for her. I can't-"

"Oh no you don't," I heard my best friend bellow, "I'm not listening to this again. You're doing this with us whether you like it or not. The goddamn girl is yours, Roxas! You had her first!"

A part of myself agreed with him but at the same time I couldn't stop thinking about the way Naminé looked when we realized we were in an uncomfortable position on my couch. She didn't _want_ us to be in that position. She didn't _want_ me that way.

"We're swinging by your place before nine, Roxas. Be ready before then!" Axel clapped my back, and I coughed a little. "Don't worry, everything will go according to plan!" I heard chuckling and the sound of footsteps leaving my office, and then the dull thud of my glass door closing. I sighed through my fingers.

I really had to stop being so indecisive.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _For You To Notice _by Dashboard Confessional._

_200+ reviews! WOOHOO! Thanks to all of you who have read/reviewed/favourited/alerted this story! You guys are beyond awesome =)_

_Oh, and on a sidenote...  
For you Tumblr users out there (I know there are at least a few of you!) I made one especially dedicated to our favourite blonde KH pairing! The link is on my author profile. Be sure to check it out and, if you have Tumblr, follow it! It's moderated by a few FF authors (including my good friends DemyxPlaysMySitar, Silentmusic16 and Kiomeyasha) =) Spread the RokuNami love!_

_Until next update, folks ; )  
_


	13. Mask Your Disdain

**Mask Your Disdain.**

Time passed by way too slowly, but at the same time I was so out of it I wasn't even aware of it actually _passing._ Before I knew it I was standing in front of the full-length mirror in my walk-in closet, staring miserably into my reflection. My shirt was wrinkled, my jeans were creased, my hair was messier than usual and there were dark circles underneath my lifeless eyes. I looked like I had just crawled out of my own grave.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I slowly pulled it out to answer it. "Get your ass outside," Larxene ordered, "We're gonna be late."

I sighed and trudged out of my apartment. Sure enough, Axel's car was humming just outside the building.

"Lighten up, will ya?" Demyx patted my shoulder as I climbed into the seat beside him, "Naminé will be yours in no time - _only_ if you show some enthusiasm!"

I chose not to say anything and leaned to press my cheek against the car window. I closed my eyes and waited out the car ride, ignoring the words of my friends as they joked about how they thought tonight and tomorrow were going to turn out.

The engine stopped rumbling, and I opened my eyes; we were in a parking lot. I noticed the flashing lights around the corner, and I came to the conclusion that we were at the movie theatre.

"We figured it'd be useless to stalk them during dinner since we did that last time," Axel shrugged as we climbed out of the car, "So we decided to skip out on that and just go to the movie instead."

"We don't even know what movie they're watching." I rolled my eyes and shoved my hands into my pockets.

"That's why we watch _them_," Larxene snickered, "Ooh, this is gonna be so much fun."

"I hope they don't watch anything scary…" Demyx frowned. Axel smacked the back of his head, and the blond glowered at him while Larxene laughed in the background.

I wasn't aware I was friends with The Three Stooges.

I leaned against the side of Axel's car and tilted my head back to face the sky. It was already dark out, and there were so many clouds I had trouble finding the moon. What an ugly day this turned out to be.

"Hey," Larxene hissed, beckoning me with one finger, "I see them. Lay low!"

"Huh?" Before I had time to react Axel pulled me by the collar and forced me to the ground, where they were crouching by the car's front wheels. Larxene was peering out a bit and laughing to herself; I leaned over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of Naminé ducking out of a silver car just a few feet away.

This was it. I was finally going to see who this Riku guy was. I was finally going to see who took Naminé away from me.

The guy who circled around the car to link his arm with Naminé's was nothing like the guy I had been picturing all this time. Riku had long silver hair with jagged bangs that hung over his eyes, and he wasn't skinny at all - in fact he looked pretty fit. He looked tall - a little taller than me - and his lips were curved into a suave smirk as he listened to Naminé talk about whatever. He laughed, and she laughed too.

Everything began to hurt, for some reason.

"I thought artists were skinny and wore turtlenecks all the time." Demyx was scratching his head in confusion. At least I wasn't the only one who thought the same thing.

Axel rolled his eyes. "You're hopeless." He stood up and brushed off his jeans. "C'mon, they're inside now." Larxene and Demyx followed him, and I let out a loud sigh before rising to my feet. I trudged behind as my friends crept into the lobby, careful to keep their distance from the couple who were deciding which movie to watch.

"Please not a horror movie, please not a horror movie…" Demyx chanted hopefully as he crossed his fingers.

"Is Naminé a chickflick kinda girl? She looks like one." Axel raised an eyebrow.

"I'm craving popcorn." Larxene muttered, her eyes shifting towards the snack bar every few seconds or so.

I watched Naminé thank the ticket vendor person. "I think they're watching a chickflick." I pointed out dully.

"How do you know?" Demyx asked worriedly.

"I heard them."

My blond friend sighed in relief. "Okay, well...I guess we're watching a chickflick!"

Larxene groaned. "I'm getting my damn popcorn first."

"Okay, we have to make sure to sit at least four rows away from them," Axel instructed as we made our way towards the ticket counter, "And we can't say a single word to each other - I know Naminé will recognize your voice in a cinch."

"Like I'm gonna have anything to say." I muttered pathetically as I took my wallet out of my back pocket. I paid for my ticket and waited for everyone else to do the same. We headed into the theatre quietly; I squinted through the darkness so I could find Naminé, and when I found her I nudged Axel and pointed her out. We sat four rows behind them like Axel said we would.

The moment I sat down I didn't even bother to look at the gigantic screen in front of me; I kept my eyes trained on the couple sitting not so far away, giggling amongst themselves. I could make out the little curl of hair at the back of Naminé's head in her silhouette whenever she turned to face her companion, and my fingers itched. I could hear her soft voice talking nonsense, and Riku's deeper voice talking back with the same level of enthusiasm. Once the movie played they quieted down a bit but every once in awhile one of them would turn towards the other and say something, and then the both of them would beak out into a fit of hushed laughter.

As time passed I began to tune out everything else except for Naminé and Riku. I couldn't even see the movie flashing in front of me - the only things I was focusing on were Naminé and Riku's silhouettes. I couldn't hear any dialogue or music playing - only Naminé and Riku's voices excitedly whispering to each other.

At one point Riku leaned in a little too close for my liking and pecked my girl on the cheek. Hot fury bubbled in my stomach, and my hands clenched into fists. Naminé's giggling scathed my eardrums.

I couldn't do this anymore.

I stood up abruptly and briskly made my way out of the movie theatre. I didn't care if Naminé saw. The anger, the jealousy, the pain scorching inside of me burned relentlessly as I stomped into the public restroom. I approached the closest sink and splashed my face with cold water. When I dried myself off I glanced into the mirror and scoffed at my pathetic, defeated expression.

Who was I kidding? Who was I to have hope, to think Naminé would magically forget about Riku and come back to me?

She doesn't want me - not in the way I want her. Why would she ever want someone like me, anyway? I know I wouldn't.

"Roxas?" I noticed Axel's reflection approaching me from behind, "Hey man, are you alright?"

"Y-yeah," I shook my head, "I'm fine. I just needed some air."

I felt his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it would affect you this much."

I shook my head again. "To be honest with you...I didn't either." I ruffled my hair and hung my head over the sink. "Why do I have such bad timing?"

Axel leaned against the wall beside the mirror and crossed his arms over his chest. "Bad timing doesn't mean anything, Roxas. You still have a chance-"

"To hell I do!" I glared up at him, "Did you see the way they were acting towards each other? There's no way I can possibly wedge myself in between them!"

My redheaded friend rolled his eyes. "You're just thinking on the negative, man. You're not thinking aggressively enough."

I let out a dry laugh. "So what do you expect me to do? Take her by _force?"_

My best male friend shook his head. "Well, if the situation calls for it." He lifted himself off the wall and casually brushed his cheek with one thumb, smirking at me. "Seriously though, Roxas - you gotta grow a backbone, dude. All ain't lost yet."

"It sure seems like it." I stubbornly scuffed the tiled floor with one shoe. The image of Riku's silhouette kissing Naminé's silhouette's cheek flashed before my eyes and I cringed. "I never wanted to feel this way. I told myself I'd never get into a relationship _solely_ for this reason. I never wanted this to happen."

"Well, you know what?" I looked up and saw Axel frowning in my direction, "You can sulk all you want about it but you can _never_ get what you want if you're afraid of getting hurt. Sometimes you gotta deal with stuff you don't want to deal with if you wanna get to where you want to be. Got it memorized?"

His words made perfect sense, but a part of me still didn't want to believe him. I sucked in my pride, however, and nodded. "I know." I nearly whispered.

"Sometimes you can't help how you feel." I felt Axel's hand on my shoulder again. "C'mon, we better get back. The movie's gonna finish soon, I think."

When we returned to the theatre I noticed how most of the audience was in tears; I guess this chickflick was a sappy one. Demyx's eyes were glazed over, but I had nothing to say about it. Axel kept prodding him, though, and I was scared they were going to fight, therefore resulting in us being exposed.

Speaking of exposed…

The movie ended, and the credits began to roll. As the credits scrolled along the lights in the theatre began to gradually brighten. My pulse accelerated and I frantically turned to Axel, who looked surprisingly calm. When Naminé and Riku rose to their feet I felt someone - most likely Axel - push down on the back of my head - _hard._

I sat still with my head in between my legs, trying to lean forward as much as possible so my head wouldn't be seen. I could hear Naminé and Riku talking animately with each other as they walked past our aisle. I guess they didn't see us.

I sat up after a few minutes and sighed. Axel chuckled and stood up, rumpling his hair. "Well, that was fun."

"I still don't get how spying on them is gonna break them apart." Larxene muttered as we made our way out of the theatre.

"We're obtaining info on the enemy," My redheaded friend explained nonchalantly, "So we'll know just how to keep them apart."

"Are you sure?" Larxene asked skeptically, "Or are you just teasing poor Roxas here?" She jokingly patted my back, and I glared at her.

"Well, we still have tomorrow don't we?" Demyx shrugged his shoulders, "It's gonna be fun dressin' up and everything."

"And pretending to be a tree-hugging, anti-government protesting, anti-conformist bitching, keffiyeh-wearing, so-indie-no-one-knows-what-they're-talking-about hipster?" Larxene scoffed, "Yeah, sounds like loads of fun."

"I still think it's a ridiculous idea," I kicked at a pebble before pulling the car door open, "Naminé isn't stupid - she'll be able to recognize us even with disguises."

"Nuh-uh," Axel disagreed childishly as he crawled into the driver's seat, "Not if we have _really_ good disguises."

My eyes dulled as the engine roared to life. "You planned this out, didn't you?"

Demyx nodded enthusiastically; Larxene was rolling her eyes in the background. "Yeah - we got fake hair dye and everything!" He sounded so excited. "And I brushed up on my 'artist-talk', too."

The only female in the group raised an eyebrow. "Artist-talk?"

My redheaded friend chuckled as he backed out of his parking space. "Yeah, y'know...the way they talk and everything. All you gotta do is sound like nothing impresses you, even when you're talking about something you're interested in. Throw in the occasional 'man' and 'dude' every now and then, and bam - you're a hip...artist...person!"

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. Tomorrow was definitely going to be a disaster.

I tried to ignore the dumb conversations my friends exchanged as they drove me back to my place. I languidly waved goodbye and faintly caught Axel telling me how he'd be around to pick me up at eleven tomorrow morning before dragging myself up to my apartment.

As I got ready for bed I wondered if Naminé was going to call me. I was kind of hoping she wouldn't since I already knew what happened, but at the same time I craved her voice - her voice talking to _me,_ and not some other guy.

By the time midnight rolled around I figured she wasn't going to call. I felt relieved and disappointed at the same time.

I couldn't really sleep, but I was expecting that. I couldn't stop thinking about what happened in the theatre, when I saw Riku kiss Naminé on the cheek. I couldn't stop replaying the way they giggled together and how they always leaned in a little close towards each other when they were talking.

I sounded like a fifteen-year-old lovesick high school kid. It was really pathetic.

I woke up early the next morning feeling groggy and disorientated. I forced myself to take a cold shower in hopes it would wake me up - it sort of did - and trudged into the kitchen for some breakfast. Ever since Naminé began to come over frequently there was always at least one jar of Nutella sitting in my pantry, so that eventually became my routine breakfast food.

After cleaning up in the kitchen I lazed around my apartment, half-heatedly searching for something to occupy my time until my friends came to bother me. Every song that played on the stereo reminded me of Naminé, and for some reason every TV show reminded me of her too. I didn't have the heart to play my guitar.

I was better than this. I knew I was.

Thing is, if I knew I was better than this why wasn't I do anything to improve myself?

Before I had the chance to think of an answer the sound of impatient knocking came to my attention, and I sat up from my couch to stare at my front door. "Wakey-wakey, Roxas!" I heard Axel sing from the other side of the door, "It's time for a makeover!"

Was it time already? I groaned and smacked my face before dragging myself over to the door. The minute I opened it my friends barged inside, their arms laden with costumes and makeup and other disguise-related tools. "Uh," I eyed the funny-looking wigs Demyx was carrying, "We're not _really_ going to wear those, are we?"

Axel plucked a black hair tie from his pocket and smoothed his hair out before quickly tying the back into a ponytail. He looked a lot more like his older brother that way. "I'm not, but _you_ will." He grabbed one of the bags and rummaged through it. "Go change into something artsy and we'll fix you up."

I raised an eyebrow as Larxene began to apply some mascara, or what I at least thought was mascara - I'm a straight guy, how the heck am I supposed to know? "I dunno if I have anything _artsy-"_

"Which is why we came prepared!" Demyx threw a black backpack at me, and I managed to catch it last-second. "The stuff in there should fit you fine."

I unzipped the bag and peered into it; the clothes seemed pretty ordinary to me. I shrugged and headed for the bathroom. "Uh, okay."

"Er," Axel called after me right before I closed the door, "You're probably gonna have to get used to the pants, though." I heard Larxene and Demyx cackling in the background, and I began to feel uneasy.

I decided to change pants first so I could get the hard part over with. No wonder Axel told me I had to get used to it - these jeans were so skinny it was a wonder how guys could actually wear these without getting erectile dysfunction. After a few minutes of wearing them, however, I sort of got used to it. It just got really uncomfortable when I had to sit down.

The minute I walked out - well, more like waddled because I still wasn't completely used to the feel of my new jeans - of my bathroom my friends nearly collapsed on the floor from laughing so hard. "What's wrong, Roxas?" Axel howled, "Did you give yourself a vasectomy or something?"

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up - this was _your_ idea, not mine."

Demyx - who was now nearly unrecognizable because he was wearing a purple-haired wig - clapped the redhead on the shoulder. "Axel, you're a genius."

I huffed in frustration and stared at the wigs on my kitchen table. "I am _not_ wearing any of those." I muttered stubbornly.

Larxene pulled out a box of copper-coloured hair dye. "Then we're gonna have to do this."

My eyes widened. "No."

"Chill, Roxas," Axel chuckled; he was wearing skinny jeans too - in fact they looked even skinnier than mine - and some t-shirt with weird Andy Warhol pictures all over it, "It's only temporary. It'll wash out."

I swore under my breath before nodding slowly. "Fine, fine. God." I snatched the hairdye from Larxene and stomped back into the bathroom. Half an hour later I trudged back out; my hair was a rusty copper colour, but it was sticking up like always. Naminé would instantly recognize it, even if it wasn't blond.

"Y'know, if I didn't know you I'd think you were pretty cute." Larxene laughed, and I rolled my eyes. "Now for the finishing touch-" She grabbed a black fedora and stuck it on my head and handed me a pair of glasses with thick black frames. "-there. Now you're an _artiste."_

I put the glasses on and walked back into bathroom. I gaped into the mirror; the person gaping back at me was a complete stranger. I was wearing black skinny jeans, a white v-necked t-shirt with thick light grey vertical stripes and a black suit vest. The black fedora hid my spiky hair and the nerdy glasses averted some attention from my blue eyes.

"Wow." I mumbled.

A woman with sweeping brown hair approached my reflection and grinned. I wouldn't have known it was Larxene if I didn't recognize her voice. "See? Naminé won't recognize you at all."

When we walked back out into the kitchen I noticed how Axel and Demyx were almost finished with their disguises: Axel put on makeup to hide the tattoos under his eyes and was now wearing sunglasses. Demyx got rid of the purple wig, thankfully, and chose a black one instead. Both were wearing pretty tight-looking jeans.

"What's with male hipsters and tight jeans?" I complained as I tugged on the waistband of my own jeans, "Do they not want to start a family?"

"They're actually not so bad once you get used to them." Axel shrugged. He grabbed a black beret and slapped it on his head. "Just for today I will be known as...Jacques."

Larxene snorted. "Jacques?"

"Oui," Axel chuckled, "I am Jacques, from _Pair-ee." _His French accent was horrible.

"And I'm Matteo," Demyx raised an eager hand, "From, uh…" He hung his head, "I dunno."

I smacked my forehead. "Ugh…"

Ax-er, _Jacques_ threw a skinny arm around my shoulders and shook me slightly. "Aw, c'mon Roxas - lighten up! Admit it - this is fun."

"I don't see how risking my ability to have children is fun." I muttered as tugged on my jeans again.

"C'mon," Larxene pointed to her cellphone, 'We're gonna be late." She shoved _Jacques_ and _Matteo _- they could've chosen more normal names… - out the front door and grabbed my sleeve. "Let's go, Romeo."

I groaned again.

Was this really going to work?

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _Turn On Me _by The Shins._


	14. Fall Behind

**Fall Behind.**

"Stop scratching." Larxene swatted my hand away.

"I think I put too much dye." I mumbled, reaching underneath my hat again. Larxene pried my hand away from my copper-tinted hair and I glared at her.

"Where are we?" Demyx had his nose pressed against the window, "I've never been to this part of the city before."

"That's because you're not an artsy fartsy artist hipster, idiot," Axel smirked as he turned a corner, "Notice how all of these places are art galleries and coffee shops? Only the coolest of the cool hang around here."

Larxene scoffed as she adjusted her wig one last time. "I bet everyone here lives in a loft."

"I think this is it." Axel pulled into the parking lot of what looked like a dilapidated warehouse: the bricks were worn and some looked like they were about to fall off, and the windows were dusty and mottled with dirt. I noticed a few people standing around it, chatting amongst each other with small cigarettes stuck in between their fingers.

"Okay, you guys know the drill right? Act _nothing_ like yourself, and try your best not to interact with anyone because that'll just blow our cover completely - unless you know anything about modern art." Axel slammed the car door shut and cleared his throat. "Okay," He wheezed in a raspy, terrible French accent, "I believe eet eez time to get our art on."

I rolled my eyes and stuck my hands in my pockets. "Whatever." I dragged my feet as I begrudgingly followed my friends inside the art gallery. The inside was a complete opposite of the outside: everything was completely white. The floors were simple white wood paneling and the bricks on the walls were painted white. Weird avant-garde music was playing softly in the background and there were people scattered in groups of twos and threes all over the place.

"Okay," Axel nudged me forward, "Spread out and pretend you're enjoying this. When you see them give us a text, or something."

"'Kay," I mumbled as I walked off. I just wanted to get away from them for a little bit; they've tormented me enough.

I tried admiring the artwork but it was just too weird for me. Some of the sculptures looked like someone just piled up a bunch of stuff they found at the junk yard and the paintings looked like something I probably did when I was in kindergarten. I heard other people talking about how they could see the 'depth' and 'realism' from these..._art projects_ and I resisted the urge to shake my head at them. How did they get all of that deep stuff from something that looked rushed and incomplete?

My phone began to vibrate, and I struggled for a few seconds trying to pull it out of my tiny pocket; stupid skinny jeans. I eyed the text message Larxene sent me:

_ They're here. 4 o'clock._

I turned in the direction she told me, and when I spotted Riku and Naminé entering the art gallery arm-in-arm my pulse immediately began to accelerate. Riku wasn't wearing skinny jeans or nerdy glasses or scarves like the other artists: he wore a simple grey dress shirt and black jeans that _weren't_ spandex-tight. Naminé looked as perfect as ever in a pale yellow sundress and brown sandals.

I wanted to tackle Axel for making me wear these stupid jeans.

I realized I was staring at them for too long and I moved around the gallery a little more so I wouldn't look so suspicious. I made sure I was a safe distance away from the couple I was supposed to be spying on; I was close enough to faintly hear them but far enough to not look like I was following them. It wasn't like I had much interest in what they had to say, anyway. They were just like everyone else in the art gallery: they talked about the 'sense of justice and independence' they could see in a painting that looked like it was made by a two-year-old in fingerpainting class.

I followed them around for another forty minutes or two, pretending to admire the painting or sculpture as I eavesdropped on their mind-numbing conversations. When Naminé and I talked we sounded _nothing_ like that…

"What do you think?" A deep voice popped out of nowhere; was it talking to me?

I snapped out of my daze and looked left and right; Riku was standing right next to me, looking at me with curious turquoise eyes. _Riku?_ "Um…" I cleared my throat and tried to change my voice a little, but then I realized last-minute that he had no idea what I sounded like so maybe it wasn't worth it to change my voice…

But wait... Naminé knows how I sound like.

Where's Naminé?

"It's wonderful, isn't it?" Riku gestured towards the painting just a few feet in front of us; it looked like a bunch of coloured squares and rectangles overlapping each other, "You can totally feel the sense of confusion and isolation going on in this piece."

I scoffed. "Yeah, totally."

My new companion smirked and crossed his arms. "So are you a fan of Bourgeois?"

I assumed that was the name of the person who made this painting. "Er…y-yes…?" I could feel someone's eyes on me; I hoped to God it wasn't Naminé.

Riku chuckled, and I breathed a sigh of relief. "I figured you were. Only diehard fans can see the true potential of his work." He held out a hand, and I stared at it. "I'm Riku Katutama."

As I hesitantly shook his hand I wracked my brain for a fake name, but the only thing I could think of was my older brother's name and the closest random object. "I'm...Ventus. Ventus…" I swallowed nervously and eyed the silver watch gleaming on Riku's wrist, "Watch...er."

Riku raised an eyebrow, and I gulped again. "Watcher? Do you happen to be related to Miles Watcher?"

I shook my head. "N-no, I'm afraid not."

Naminé suddenly appeared by Riku's side, holding two white paper cups. "Back." She eyed me curiously, and I began to feel uncomfortably warm. "Did you make a new friend?"

"Sure did," Riku smirked again and jerked his head in my direction, "This is Mister Ventus Watcher. He's a Bourgeois fan." He gestured towards the small blonde before taking one of the cups from her hand. "This is Naminé, by the way."

She grinned, and I tried to crack a small smile. "Ooh, I like him already. Are you going to the exhibit next month? I heard Bourgeois himself is making an appearance!"

I could feel sweat trickling down my temples. "O-oh, the Bourgeois exhibit?" I tried to change my voice a little bit; it ended up changing on its own because I was so nervous, "I, uh-"

"'Eyyy!" I felt an arm around my shoulder and I looked up to see Axel grinning down at me, "Zair you are! I was wondereeng where you went!" He glanced at Riku and gasped. "Ah mon dieu, are...are you Riku? Riku Katutama? Le _artiste?"_

I hoped Riku and Naminé didn't catch onto Axel's horrible rendition of a French accent. The silver-haired man chuckled and nodded, his cheeks slightly flushed in embarrassment. "Why yes, yes I am. I'm surprised you know me."

"Who doesn't know you?" Larxene appeared by my side, speaking in a perfect French accent; why did they insist on speaking with French accents? This was totally unnecessary; I just hoped Demyx wasn't pretending to be French too. "You are the greatest artist in town - no, no...the world!"

Riku laughed sheepishly and placed a hand behind his head. "Aw, no…"

Naminé giggled and hugged his other arm; my insides twitched and I coughed awkwardly into my fist. "They're saying the truth!"

Axel laughed and brushed a few bangs out of his eyes. I was surprised Naminé didn't recognize him. "I am Jacques, and zees-" He gestured towards Larxene, "-ees Amélie. We have anuzzer friend wandering around somewhere; I lost him awhile back."

"I'm assuming you guys aren't from around here?" Riku asked; he reached for Naminé's hand and wound their fingers together, and I clenched my teeth.

_"Non. _We are only 'ere for ze week," Larxene's accent was spot on, "And we 'erd about zees exhibit so we decided to, ah...give eet a look."

"Well, it's nice to meet all of you." Riku smiled, and Naminé laughed softly. "Are all of you Bourgeois fans as well?"

Larxene and Axel looked at me for a split second before exclaiming, "Oui!" At exactly the same time. "Oui, we are _beeg_ Bourgeois fans." Larxene clapped her hands excitedly, which was totally non-Larxene of her.

"Oh? Then have you heard about the Bourgeois exhibit next month? You guys should come back for that!" Naminé exclaimed excitedly.

"Ah, 'opefully we can come back," Axel scratched the side of his head, "We might be beezy but we'll see."

"Well, judging from your lack of an accent I'm pretty sure you're from around here," Naminé turned towards me, and I gulped for the umpteenth time, "Right? Maybe I'll see you next month!"

I smiled timidly and tipped the brim of my hat. "Er...yeah. Maybe."

"Say," Riku threw up his hands, "Why don't we all go out for dinner? We can all indulge on Bourgeois over some great food just down the street!"

I paled as Axel and Larxene heartily agreed to my rival's invitation. "Oh, yes! That sounds _magnifique._ I shall go find our friend and tell 'eem." Larxene scurried away to find Demyx.

"Great! I guess we should get moving; this restaurant fills up fast if you don't have a reservation." Riku patted Axel's shoulder and they exchanged conversation as we made our way out of the gallery; I wondered how my redheaded friend managed to keep Riku so interested when he knew nothing about art.

"So how did you end up becoming friends with Frenchies?" Naminé skipped alongside me, chipper and cute. She was so close to me, so reachable.

"I...I went to France for a month on an exchange program in college," I fibbed as best as I could without stuttering so much, "And I had a few classes with them."

She nodded politely. "Oh. It's good that you guys still keep in touch."

"Y-yeah." I decided to make the best of this opportunity. "What about you? How did you meet Riku?"

I wanted to cringe when Naminé's cheeks tinged a faint shade of pink. "Oh, well...it was a chance meeting, really. We sorta just bumped into each other and we hit it off almost immediately."

I forced on a sly grin. "Hit it off? Care to expand on that?"

She raised an eyebrow as Riku and Axel held the doors open for us. "You're very direct, aren't you?"

I flushed and shook my head. "N-no, I...I didn't mean to...uh..." I sighed and shook my head again. "Sorry. That was rude of me." Okay, so maybe that wasn't such a great move after all…

She giggled. "It's okay. I know you didn't mean any harm...right?"

I raised my hands in defense. "O-of course not! I wouldn't...I wouldn't do anything like that…"

"So we'll meet you guys there? It's just down the street." Riku's voice cut into our conversation. He joined hands with Naminé again and she smiled up at him. The adoration in her eyes tore me apart; I suddenly didn't want to eat dinner.

"Yes, yes," Axel nodded as Larxene and Demyx made their way out of the gallery, "We'll see you in a bit." He nudged me, and I forced my legs to work. I mechanically climbed into Axel's car and buckled my seatbelt, and I pretended to listen into my friends' conversations as Axel backed out of his parking space.

"Hey," Demyx poked the back of my shoulder, "We're here."

The outside restaurant looked a lot like the outside of the art gallery with the crumbling bricks and dirty windows. Axel parked two spaces away from Riku; I spotted his silver hair from where I was standing.

The restaurant was small and cozy on the inside. We managed to get a table outside on the back porch; the cool breeze was relaxing, and it helped cool the jealous heat pooling into my cheeks. I picked at my pasta as Larxene, Demyx and Axel managed to carry on a conversation with Riku. Naminé must've noticed my sullenness, because twenty minutes after our food came she childishly poked my arm.

I looked up and met her pale blues. I could count every eyelash. "Hm?" I hummed unenthusiastically; I had my elbow propped up on the table and my cheek leaning into my palm.

"Why the long face?" Her head was tilted to the side, and the wind was rustling her platinum blonde tresses. Her bangs swept into her eyes and my fingers itched, but luckily she reached up to brush them away.

I forced myself into thinking up of a believable excuse. "Er," I remembered to keep my voice high so she wouldn't recognize me, "I...I just had a long day, that's all. Kinda tired."

"Oh?" She bit her lip for a second. "Am...am I bothering you?" Her eyes lowered, and my heart wrung painfully.

"N-no, no," I shook my head quickly, "Nothing like that. If anything I'm the one who's doing any bothering around here." I chuckled anxiously, and I sighed inwardly when she giggled alongside me. "I don't mean to bring you out of their conversation." I jerked my head towards the 'Frenchies' and Riku, who were laughing and clapping each other's backs.

My 'new' friend shrugged her tiny shoulders and reached up to tug on the little strip of hair near the back of her head. "It's okay - they seem like they're having a lot of fun without me, anyway." She smiled, and I felt a smile of my own curving onto my lips. "Plus, I didn't want to make you feel left out or anything. You didn't even look like you wanted to go to dinner."

Oops. "Oh…" Crap, I couldn't think of a good enough excuse.

"Well, that was great." Riku and Axel stood up with their arms around each other's shoulders. The silver-haired one of the duo sighed in content. "I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

Axel did that stupid French laugh of his. "Oui, mon ami. I'll have to agree with you."

Riku's eyes suddenly turned to me, and I blinked in confusion. "You should come with Jacques and I next week, Ventus. We're gonna go out for a drink."

Demyx nudged my elbow, and I shrugged. "I dunno, I'll have to see-"

"Ah, Ventus," Axel shook his head and I suppressed the urge to glare at him, "Don't be such a party pooper. Come and _dreenk_ with us! It'll be fun."

"You'll need it, Ventus." Larxene muttered so low only I could hear, and I groaned.

"Maybe. I'll…I'll get back to you." I plucked my wallet out and tossed my money onto the table before following the rest of them back to the parking lot. Before I crawled into Axel's car I felt Naminé's fingers against my arm, and I glanced over my shoulder to see her smiling shyly at me.

"It was nice meeting you," She said timidly, "I...I hope we'll see each other again soon."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're not going with them next week?"

She gave me one of those looks of hers; the one that made me feel like I was missing something really important. "It's a guys' night out sorta thing. I don't think I'd fit in very well."

"Which is why," Larxene poked my shoulder from the inside of Axel's car, "It would be _good_ of you to go."

I thought of the possibilities. Riku did say they were going out for a drink, which meant Axel was probably going to try to get him drunk...which meant there could be a possibility we could get some useful information out of him - information Naminé wasn't telling me.

There _had_ to be something going on between them - those secret smiles and joined hands and linked arms had a double-meaning, I was sure of it. Either that or my jealousy was driving me over the edge of sanity.

I don't know. Maybe my intuition was really telling me something this time.

It seemed fool proof enough: drunk people are always truthful, and plus - it would give a little boost to my self-esteem if I saw my rival (well, he didn't know of our fierce competition but that wasn't important) in an altered state.

I raised my head. "Well...come to think of it I may be able to go. I'll just have to double-check."

Naminé's smile broadened. "I'm sure Riku will love to hear that. I'll see you around, okay?" She waved and bounded off towards Riku's car. The moment the silver sedan sped away Axel threw his head back and gave out a loud, triumphant laugh.

"This guy, man…" He pulled the hair tie and shook his head, letting his spikes fall free, "He's great and all but he's too easy to dupe."

"I imagined him to be smarter," Larxene shook her head as she pulled off her wig, "I mean, he's into philosophy and stuff...yet he thinks Axel's legitimately French."

"Either that or he's hiding his suspicion really well." Demyx shrugged. "I mean...he has to have _some_ sort of an idea. Axel's accent is the worst thing I've ever heard!"

"Don't make me come back there." My male best friend growled under his breath as he changed lanes.

"So are we really going out with him next week?" I asked as I pulled off my fedora. My spikes sprung up just like I expected them to; hat hair does not exist for me or my brothers, which can be a good and bad thing.

"Well, it doesn't really matter when. It could be whenever, actually - Riku's just really game for hanging out again. I think I charmed him," Axel grinned victoriously, "But in all honesty he's not a bad guy. If it weren't for the fact that he's stealing your girl I think I could be really good friends with him."

"So you're saying we have to put up with this-" I pointed to my skinny jeans, "-for a bit longer?"

My redheaded friend shrugged. "I dunno, but it seems to be working. As long as Naminé isn't suspicious anything's game, right? Plus how else are going to get her to fall hopelessly in love with you when her sights are set on him? We need to figure out how to make you better than Riku - that's our first priority, and we're achieving this by getting to know him better. Makes sense, doesn't it?"

I sighed as he pulled up to my apartment. "I guess." I stepped out and sighed again. "I'm seeing Naminé tomorrow...no doubt she's going to say something about today."

"And it'll tell you whether she's suspicious or not, so it's perfect." Demyx gave me the thumbs-up. "See you Monday, Roxas!"

Larxene rolled down her window and winked. "Don't get too jealous, now." The car sped off, leaving me in the dust. I absently brushed off my skinny jeans before making my way inside.

I hoped the dye would wash off before Naminé comes tomorrow.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: Quietdrive - _Time After Time.


	15. Sounds Of Desperation

**Sounds of Desperation.**

I managed to get all of the dye off, thankfully - but that was only because I spent the entire night scrubbing so hard my scalp was itchy and red by the time I was finished.

"Mm," Naminé breathed in deep as she stepped into my car Sunday morning, "Something smells really good."

I raised an eyebrow as I shifted gears. "I dunno what it could be."

"Hm," She turned towards me and leaned in; I could feel her nose against my shoulder and I stiffened, "I'm pretty sure it's coming from you. Did you just take a shower or something?" She raised her head a little. "Are you using a new shampoo? Your hair looks shinier than usual."

"Er," I ruffled the back of my hair, "Y-yeah. I didn't think you'd notice."

She snorted a little before breaking out into a fit of giggles, just like how a child would. "You're weird."

I laughed. _"I'm_ the weird one?"

She smacked my shoulder. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"That you're weirder, obviously."

"I am _not_ weirder than you!"

"I don't worship Nutella."

"I don't _worship_ it - I _eat _it!"

"Religiously."

She huffed and crossed her arms, and I grinned victoriously before switching lanes. It was like that incident a few days ago never happened.

"So," I drawled on the word a little as I let her into my apartment, "How was your date?"

She beamed up at me before skipping over to the kitchen. "Which one?"

"Um...both?"

"Fantastic," I could hear the smile in her voice as she rummaged through my pantry, "The movies were fun, and the art gallery on Saturday was really interesting!"

I raised an eyebrow, feigning interest. "How so?"

She pulled out the usual jar of Nutella and popped a couple waffles in the toaster. "Riku made some new friends from France - well, except this one guy."

I felt a lump form in my throat as I lowered myself into one of the chairs at the table. "What's wrong with _this one guy?"_

She moved to sit beside me, folding her hands underneath her chin and glancing up at the ceiling. "He wasn't from France. I think he's from around here." Her eyes flitted over to me and I gulped. "He was a little strange. Distant."

I scratched the back of my head. "Hm, maybe he's one of those lone artists who doesn't like being around people."

My shorter companion stifled a laugh. "Why would someone _not_ like being around people?"

I shrugged as the waffles popped up from the toaster. "I dunno. Some people are better off by themselves. They prefer to live life without distractions."

Her hair bounced a little as she stood up to grab the waffles. "Hm...sounds a lot like you." She said teasingly as she returned to the table with our breakfast.

My neck began to grow really hot, and I rubbed the back of it as she handed me my plate. "I like being around people," I protested as I watched her spread a thick wad of Nutella around her waffle, "I mean...if I didn't like being around people I wouldn't be talking to you right now would I?"

It was her turn to shrug. "I guess." She chewed on her waffle slowly before looking up to glance at me. Her large blue eyes blinked at me curiously, and I suddenly found it impossible to swallow my food. "He was a little awkward, but in an endearing way. I don't think he goes out very often."

I was _that_ nervous? Geez. "Awkward? How?"

A hint of a smile dashed across her pretty face. "He asked me about Riku and I. It was a little weird hearing it from someone I just met so I obviously didn't feel comfortable answering him, but he looked like he didn't even know what was coming out of his mouth. It was kind of cute."

Cute. She called me _cute._

Well, she didn't know she was calling me cute but I still counted it.

She was indirectly calling me cute!

I don't know if she was implying anything or not, but I decided to play along. "Poor guy." I gulped down a little more than half of my glass of milk. "Do you have any plans to see him or his friends again?"

She shook her head while sipping her milk. "Not right now, but Riku does. He's planning a guys' night out with him and two others this weekend or something."

I mussed up my hair. "Oh, that sounds fun. I guess Riku's taken a liking to them."

"They're really nice, and funny too. I hope I'll be able to see them again - especially Ventus."

I nearly choked. "V-Ventus?"

"Yeah, that's the awkward guy's name. He seems like he needs a friend."

"I thought you liked Riku."

Naminé rolled her eyes. "Can't a girl and guy befriend each other and _not_ develop romantic feelings for each other?"

_No._ "Uh…"

"I mean, look at us," She gestured towards me, and I suppressed the urge to stand up and start some sort of pointless argument, "We're friends, aren't we? _Best_ friends?"

I downed the rest of my milk and stood up to wash my dishes. I didn't know why I decided to take my time to answer her question. "Of course we are." My tone was so flat, so meaningless. The faucet was still running even though my dishes were already clean.

I felt a skinny pair of arms wrap themselves around my waist. Naminé pressed her cheek against my back; I could feel her jaw moving as she spoke. "You know what?" Her voice was just above a whisper.

I hope she couldn't hear my hammering pulse. "What?" I murmured back.

She tugged on my arm, and I turned around to face her. She flattened herself against me, fitting her head against my neck and pulling my arms around her waist with her hands before finding rest on my shoulder and the back of my neck. Either she was giving me some sort of a sign or she _really_ liked hugs. "We need to hang out."

I chuckled against her hair. "Isn't that what we're doing right now?"

She pulled away a little to roll her eyes up at me. "I meant just _us,_ Roxas, not babysitting your niece and nephew. We should go out this weekend, or something. Eat dinner, or watch a movie...or go shopping. Anything."

Was she asking me out? _Again?_ "That sounds like a good idea. We haven't done something together in awhile." I tried pushing myself out of Naminé's arms but her grip on me was pretty firm.

She grinned. "'Kay, then it's settled. Friday it is." The doorbell rang, and she finally let go of me. I smiled distantly as Sora handed the twins over to her, but for some reason all I could think about was Friday and how I had the looming feeling that Riku and Axel's _boys' night out_ thing was going to be on the same day.

Knowing my luck it was probably going to happen.

"Hi Koji," Naminé cooed as my nephew reached upwards to pat her on the cheek; I gathered Miyo in my arms and followed my blonde companion to the television room, "How are you? I missed you!"

Koji reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a yellow flower made out of construction paper. "You!" He smiled toothily as he handed it to her. His little crush on her was cute, I had to admit.

Naminé's eyes lit up as she took the flower in one hand. She sat down on the couch and bent over to kiss Koji on the cheek. "Oh, this is lovely! Thank you, Koji! This is very sweet of you."

I wanted to laugh when my nephew's face turned a bright red. I sat beside her and placed Miyo on my lap. "Looks like Riku's got some competition." Not like he already had some to begin with.

My shorter companion giggled and pretended to sniff the flower. Her eyes widened a little. "Hm, I think he sprayed perfume on this." She stretched out so that the flower was under my nose, and I sniffed it. She was right. "This makes it even better!" She cuddled Koji some more, and they laughed together.

I wish I could win over Naminé with a flower made out of construction paper.

The rest of the morning passed easily with the kids; we didn't really do anything out of the ordinary. Before I knew it my brother swung by and Miyo and Koji were gone.

"Well, that went by quicker than I thought." I rumpled the back of my hair as Naminé locked the door.

"Yeah." She mumbled distractedly; her eyes were staring at the floor and she was nervously fiddling with her hands. I raised an eyebrow in confusion, but before I opened my mouth to say something her head jerked upwards and she stared straight at me. "Let's go out now."

My pulse quadrupled in pace. "D-didn't you say you wanted to hang out Friday?"

She nodded and stepped closer towards me. "Yes, but we can hang out today too...can't we? You're...you're not busy are you?"

I shook my head frantically. "No, n-no...it's just that...er," My hand shot up to my hair again, "Well...what do you want to do?"

She tugged on her hair. "I dunno...anything. As long as I'm with you."

Her words made me want to grab her and kiss her until I couldn't breathe. Too bad she liked someone else.

"Oh, alright…" My fingers skimmed faster through my hair. "Hm...it's nice out. Do you wanna go out for a walk? Maybe we'll end up somewhere interesting."

Her face lit up and she nodded enthusiastically. "That sounds like fun. Let's go!" She grabbed my arm and pulled me to the door, and I couldn't help but laugh.

The sun was warm on my face as we stepped out of my apartment building. It flashed silver in Naminé's hair as we casually trotted down the sidewalk, talking about anything that came to mind. I noticed how different she sounded when she was talking to me in comparison to when she was talking with Riku.

I don't know if this sounds biased or anything but she sounded...I dunno...a little more comfortable with me? Maybe this was just a way to convince myself that I still had a chance.

I mean, she was still holding onto my arm.

"C'mon," She giggled, walking ahead of me and tugging eagerly on my wrist, "Let's get some ice cream."

I laughed as she pulled me into the store. "How old are you?"

She glanced over her shoulder to roll her eyes at me. "Don't be such a grown-up, Roxas. Everyone loves ice cream." She bent over to peek at the different flavours. "Hmm...so many to choose from."

I leaned against the counter and smirked. "There isn't any Nutella-flavoured ice cream for you?" When she glared at me I laughed. "Kidding." I pointed at a tub full of bright blue ice cream. "That one. It's my favourite."

My shorter companion squinted at the label. "Sea-salt?" She playfully wrinkled her nose. "Ew."

I chuckled as the guy behind the counter scooped a couple for me. "You haven't even tried it yet."

She peered into my cup and tilted her head to the side. "Well...I like the colour…"

I rolled my eyes before paying for my ice cream. "You're not getting any?"

"I figured I'd just share with you...but seeing as you got a flavour I haven't tried before-"

"Well, this is a perfect opportunity for you to try it!" I gently pushed her out of the little shop and pulled her down the sidewalk. There was a small park just up ahead where we could sit down and enjoy our frozen treat.

"But," She complained childishly, "It sounds gross!"

"Well, it was your idea to get ice cream in the first place so that's what we're doing." I forced her down on a bench that was facing the jungle gym. I scooped a little bit of ice cream into my spoon and slowly inched my hand towards her pink lips. "C'monnn…" I egged her on, grinning deviously as she shook her head and tried to back away.

"No, no, no…" She chanted determinedly, clamping her eyes shut.

"Make way for the airplane, Naminé," I cooed jokingly, waving the spoon a little bit, "C'mon, it needs to land!"

"Then it can land in your mouth."

"Too late; it already set a course for yours." When she began to make those strange whiny noises of hers I rolled my eyes. "You are such a baby."

She opened one eye to glare at me, and then she slowly opened her mouth - just enough for me to ease the spoon in. Her eyes clamped shut again as the cold treat melted in her mouth, and I suppressed a laugh. "Salty…" Seconds later her eyes popped open, surprise clearly written across her face, "But...sweet. Mm." She licked her lips and blinked at me.

"See? That wasn't so bad." I smirked when her pale cheeks flushed a light crimson.

She glared at me once more before grabbing the cup from my hand. She shoved another spoonful into her mouth, eating stubbornly. She was so cute when she was angry.

I raised an eyebrow. "Um, in case you've forgotten I paid for that. I believe I deserve some."

She raised the spoon, but just before I was about to lean in she flicked her wrist. "Hey!" My face stung with cold as globs of sea-salt ice cream splattered across my cheeks. I could hear Naminé's laughter as I frantically searched my pockets for a napkin, or something.

"S-sorry," She was still laughing; she pulled a napkin from her pocket and got rid of the ice cream on my face, "You were asking for it."

I licked my lips; I could still taste ice cream. "How was I asking for it?" When she shrugged her shoulders I groaned. "I don't get you sometimes."

She giggled again and continued to eat _my_ ice cream. She hovered the spoon in front of my mouth. "I won't throw it at you this time, I promise."

I hesitantly opened my mouth and let out an inward sigh of relief when she fed me properly. We must've looked like a couple to the strangers who were passing us by. In a sense I thought that was a good thing; at least to someone who didn't know us we looked like we were in love. We looked like the feeling was mutual.

After we were finished I playfully poked her sides, and I smirked when she squirmed. "Thanks for finishing my ice cream."

"You had some too!"

"Yeah, like three spoonfuls."

Her cornflower blues narrowed. "Are you implying something?"

I poked her again, and she shrieked. "Maybe." I reached for her and tickled her ferociously, and she laughed uncontrollably. She leapt out of the bench and dashed towards the jungle gym, and I scrambled to follow her. We climbed platforms, slid down slides and climbed monkey bars (well, Naminé did; I was too tall). I felt like I was five, playing with my preschool crush around the playground.

I finally caught up to her; I wound my arms from behind her and lifted her off the ground. She squealed with laughter as I spun her around, screaming for me to put her down.

"Mm," She whirled around and twisted her arms around my neck, pulling me closer. Our foreheads bumped, and I sucked in a breath. What was going on? "That was fun." Her eyes were closed. Was she was imagining holding Riku instead of me? Was she was pretending Riku was chasing her around the jungle gym?

I could do so many things right now. I could reach up to brush the hair away from her eyes, or tuck it behind her ear. I could lean in and rest my head on her shoulder. I could crane my neck a little so my lips would be in perfect symmetry with hers. I could show her how much I wanted her, how much I wanted her to want me.

But I couldn't.

I cleared my throat, and she blinked up at me. "C'mon," I smiled for her so she wouldn't be suspicious and enclosed my hand around her tiny wrist, "We haven't finished our walk yet."

She gave me a faint smile in response. "Oh, right. I totally forgot we were doing that." She skipped along my side as we strolled through the park, and everything went back to normal. We resumed our random conversations and our corny jokes. She held onto my arm and I stuck my hands in my pockets.

We spent another hour or so walking around before returning to my place, but by the time we got back it was still early - it wasn't even four yet.

Naminé yawned into my shoulder. "All that walking made me sleepy."

I rubbed her back. "Maybe I should take you home."

She shook her head, much to my surprise. "No, I want to stay here." She muttered stubbornly against my shirt.

I sighed and pulled her into my room, where I let her lie on my bed. "Fine, have it your way."

She snuggled against my pillows and pulled the covers up to her chin. "Goodnight." She rolled over so that she was lying stomach-down, and then she was out cold. I could hear her muffled snoring.

I wish I could sleep that easily; either that or she pretended to fall asleep quickly so I could leave her alone.

I shuffled out and softly closed the door behind me. What was I going to do now?

My phone in my pocket began to vibrate. I glanced at the call display, and I rolled my eyes. Perfect timing. "Yes, Axel?"

"So I was just on the phone with Riku-"

"You have his number?"

"Yes...I _am_ his friend, if you do recall."

"I guess." I absentmindedly wandered into the television room. "So...why did you call?"

"What, can't a friend call his friend just because?"

"You don't usually do that."

I heard my redheaded friend exhale sharply. "Fine. Well, I just wanted to tell you that we're seeing him on Friday."

Yep, I knew it. Just my luck. "Er, that's gonna be a bit of a problem."

Axel's voice lowered dangerously. "And why is that?"

"Naminé wants to hang out on Friday…" I felt my face heat up for some reason, "J-just the two of us."

My male best friend let out a low whistle. "Ooh, a date? Hmm...I can see your dilemma."

I rolled my eyes as I plopped down on the couch. "It's not a date, idiot - she just wants to hang out."

"But we all know you secretly wished you were on a date." When I didn't reply he laughed triumphantly. "Knew it."

"So what are we gonna do?" My hand somehow found its way to my hair.

"Well...hm. We can't skip out on this Riku thing...yet at the same time this date with Naminé is too good of an opportunity to miss." Axel paused for a minute, and for some reason I began to grow nervous. "Hmm...well, what if we asked your brother?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Sora?"

"No! Your _other_ brother! The _real_ Ventus?"

A lump formed in my throat. "Er...are you implying that he should go as...as another...me?"

I could picture Axel nodding. "Yeah! It's foolproof, man - you and Ven look exactly alike-"

"There are some minor differences between us, y'know-"

"Minor differences that can only be seen if someone compares the both of you with a freaking microscope," My redheaded friend laughed, "You're worrying too much, dude. Give your bro a call; I'm pretty sure he'll be more than willing to help you out."

I frowned. "I haven't even told him about my situation…" My oldest brother was busy with his own life; why should I bother him with my problems? I was already bothering my friends and my twin brother.

"Ven's one of the nicest guys on the face of this planet! If you don't call him I will." I knew Axel meant that; he wasn't one to lie about those sorts of things.

I groaned and threw my head back against the couch, closing my eyes and smacking my face with my free hand. "Fine, fine. I'll give him a call tonight after Naminé leaves."

"She's still there?"

I flushed. "Yeah, but she's sleeping. Unless she's eavesdropping on our conversation right now she couldn't have heard a single word."

"Well, alright. After you call Ven call me after."

"Alright. Later." I cancelled the call and brushed my fingers through my hair. A thousand things were running through my head right now and I was too slow to catch them. I couldn't keep track of my own head.

Was it really smart to have my brother stand in for me? If he agreed to this who would he stand in _for: _me...or _Ventus?_

Axel was right about my brother: aside from Sora Ven really was the nicest guy on the face of the planet. _Both_ of my brothers were equal when it came to niceness. Ven would agree to help me in a heartbeat.

But would it work? What were the consequences if it didn't work?

Either way my friendship with Naminé was on the line. If something went wrong she'd probably not want to talk to me ever again. She'd think I was some sort of liar, a fake. A desperate idiot deprived of a relationship.

A desperate idiot who thinks he found the girl he's been searching for all his life, though for the first twenty-one years and a few months he wasn't aware that he was even searching in the first place.

Axel said that I can never get what I want if I was too afraid of getting hurt. I had to suck it in and take it before I get where I want to be. I had to take risks. I had to fight for what I wanted.

"Roxas?" A soft, sleepy voice cut my thoughts off and I glanced behind my shoulder to see Naminé rubbing her eyes and leaning against the wall.

I slowly rose from my seat and made my way towards her. She was adorable when she was tired. "Did you have a nice nap?" I chuckled when she nodded and leaned in to press her forehead against my shoulder. "You're still tired; you only slept for, like, not even twenty minutes.. Go back to sleep."

She shook her head. "Hungry."

Of course. "Alright, let's get the Nutella." When I felt her smile against me I came to the realization:

I had to do what I needed to do.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: The Temper Trap - _Sweet Disposition.


	16. Part of the Problem

**Part Of The Problem.**

Ven agreed to help in a heartbeat, just like how Axel said. He was going to drop by after work, and Axel and Sora were going to be there too.

I had to come up with some dumb excuse as to why Naminé couldn't come over, however.

"You're going out with your brother?" My shorter companion was following me around the office Monday afternoon with her usual manilla folder clutched to her chest.

"Yeah," I said hastily as I pretended to look busy, "We're going out for dinner."

"Cute," She giggled, "Well, I hope you have fun then. Say hi to Sora for me."

It sounded so bogus - especially the way I delivered it - but it worked, and that's what mattered the most. At least I wasn't _totally_ lying.

When Ven arrived at my door later that evening I felt like I was staring into a wonky mirror: my oldest brother was a few inches taller than me, his blue eyes had flecks of green in them, his skin was a little lighter and his hair was a tad shorter, but it was barely noticeable.

The first thing he did when I pulled that door open was grab me and squeeze me until my ribcage dug into my lungs. "Hey little brother," Ven grounded his fist into my head, and I chuckled and tried to duck out of his grasp, "Haven't seen you in awhile."

I swiped my fingers through my hair and smirked. "I know. Sorry I haven't called lately; things have been...weird."

"Hey Ven!" Axel hollered from the kitchen; he rose from his seat and gave my brother a one-armed hug, "Long time no see!"

My older brother and male best friend were the same age, so they were pretty close growing up. Ven grinned toothily, reminiscent of Sora, and rubbed the underside of his nose with an index finger. "How's everything?" He briefly spun around to look at me, "And where's Sora?"

Someone knocked and the door. "Here, I guess." When I opened the door my twin brother was grinning in the exact way Ven was. "Hey, Sora."

"Hey bro!" Ven waved behind me, and Axel saluted.

Miyo was cooing cutely in my twin's arms. "No Koji today?" I asked as my brunet brother stepped inside.

"Nope, he's with Kairi." When Miyo spotted Ven she began to squirm uncontrollably. "Alright, alright…"

"Is that Miyo?" My oldest brother approached us and scooped our niece into his arms. He held her high above his head before leaning in to blow a raspberry on her belly. "Hey kiddo! I haven't seen you in forever! Wow, you're growing big aren't you?"

"I see you aren't the family favourite." Axel jokingly rested his arm on my head, and I ducked away from him.

"It's not my fault Ven's better with kids." I muttered stubbornly.

"Alright, now that Sora's here I think it's time we get down to business." Axel ushered everyone into my kitchen and gestured for them to take a seat. "As we all know our dear Roxas is hopelessly in love with a fellow coworker, Naminé Nakasato." When my brothers nodded I groaned and leaned into my palm. "Thing is, Naminé is smitten with another dude - some artist named Riku."

"Judging by the way you talked about him he sounds like a god, Rox." Ven shrugged his shoulders while balancing Miyo on his lap, and I groaned a second time.

"He kinda is," Sora scratched the side of his head, "He's smart, funny, artistic, athletic, philosophical-"

"I get it, I get it." I held up my hands.

"Anyway, in an effort to get to know him more we donned disguises and befriended him," Axel continued, "He wants to get together on Friday, but there's a problem: Naminé wants to hang out with Roxas on the same day."

"Yeah, Roxas told me." My older brother ruffled his hair. "You can't reschedule, or anything?"

"Riku's busy the entire weekend with artsy stuff," Axel shrugged, "And I think Naminé's got another date with him on Saturday. On Sundays she hangs out with Roxas." How he knew about Naminé's schedule more than me, I had no idea. I guess he had his ways, even if they did seem a little creepy.

"So why do they need to go out on Friday when they spend every Sunday together?"

"I dunno," It was my turn to shrug, "She just randomly asked me to go out with her, and I obviously couldn't say no. Plus every Sunday we're with the kids so we don't really, er," My cheeks grew hot for some reason, "We're not really alone." Axel, Ven and Sora broke out into fits of giggling and I rolled my eyes. "Grow up, idiots."

"I guess I see your predicament," Ven frowned, "So basically you guys want me to stand in for Roxas?"

"Yeah," Sora nodded, "But we just don't know what you should stand in for."

"Wouldn't it make more sense for Ven to go to Riku's thing? I mean, obviously it's gonna be awkward if he pretended to be me while going on a date with Naminé!" I exclaimed.

Axel rubbed his pointy chin. "Hm, I guess you're right...but seeing Riku drunk is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity…"

Ven laughed. "If you guys are 'friends' with him I'm pretty sure you'll be able to get him drunk plenty of times. I don't think Rox should miss out on the Naminé thing; you'll never know what'll happen."

"Plus the alias Roxas used for the Riku thing is your name, so it'll be easier." My twin brother added.

Axel placed his hands on the table. "I guess that settles it: Ven, you'll be coming with Demyx and I on Friday. Roxas, you get to luck out and run off with your girl."

The idea of spending an entire Friday evening with Naminé made my insides feel like they were being inflated with helium. I felt like I could float right through the ceiling. "Sounds good to me." I didn't realize I was smiling until the corners of my mouth began to hurt.

"So, what do I have to do on Friday?" Ven asked.

"Your job's easy: all you gotta do is dress up like an artsy fartsy dude and pretend you're good friends with him," Axel smirked, "Oh, and we _definitely_ have to get him drunk. It's our first priority."

My oldest brother chuckled. "And why is that?"

"Because Axel thinks we'll get more info out of him if he's inebriated." I rolled my eyes as my redheaded friend cackled evilly.

"What kind of info are you trying to force out of him anyway?" Sora asked, "There isn't much to hide, I don't think…I mean, we already know him and Naminé are on the verge of going out. What else is there to know?"

"I'm pretty sure there're one or two things they're not telling us," Axel pointed out, "Things that we'd _really_ like to know."

I ruffled my hair. "I feel like we're invading their privacy."

"We are." My male best friend stared at me, as if he expected me to know that.

I raised an eyebrow. "And that doesn't bother you at all?" I turned to my brothers. "It doesn't bother _any_ of you?"

"Not really." All three of them answered casually, and I suppressed the urge to smack my forehead against the edge of the table. Why do I associate myself with people who lack common sense?

"Oh c'mon, Rox - don't be such a hypocrite," Ven clapped my back, "We all know you'd like to know too. I'm pretty sure you've thought about it once or twice."

"Thought about what?" I asked wearily. When Axel, Sora and Ven gave me sly looks my stomach began to churn.

"Y'know…" Sora gestured his hands with an uncomfortable look on his face, "Stuff like...er, like if they've...done anything more than just hugging and holding hands."

"Well, Riku kissed her on the cheek before." I muttered through gritted teeth.

"But we don't know if they've legit _kissed_ yet," Axel added, "Or...y'know."

"Why the hell would I want to know if they've done _that?"_ I exclaimed, my face beet-red, "That's gross!"

My male best friend rolled his eyes. "Cut the virgin act, Roxas." When he eyed the shocked look on my face he burst into laughter. "Don't think I've forgotten!" When my brothers joined in my face grew hotter, if that was even possible.

For most people their first time is usually something _worth_ remembering. Me, on the other hand...well, let's just say that I'd rather not think about it.

I was never really attracted to any of the girls who tried to catch my attention in high school and college, but that doesn't mean I, er, _completely_ ignored them. Don't judge me - I was, keyword _was,_ a typical teenage boy, hormones and all.

Don't worry, Naminé already knows (she forced it out of me, as usual) - though of course it took a good couple of days of convincing her that I wasn't a chauvinistic asshole.

"Isn't _she_ still a virgin - that is, if Riku didn't secretly deflower her without us knowing?" Axel asked curiously, his sharp green eyes locked on my wide blue ones.

I forced the lump down my throat. "What makes you think I'm going to answer that question?"

"Oh, so you _do _know something about her sex life," Ven chuckled; he was covering Miyo's ears so her innocent little mind wouldn't be tainted by our conversation, "You guys must be really good friends." When I looked away he laughed again. "I'm assuming that she is, judging from your stubbornness."

My oldest brother had a knack for reading people's minds, especially mine and Sora's. I guess it's because he was forced to grow up with us so he knew us best. "Don't go around telling people that!" I hissed.

"We'll keep your little secret, don't worry," Axel smirked, "But wow...I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Naminé doesn't seem like the type to sleep around anyway. Too innocent."

I rolled my eyes, though I had to agree with him. "So is everything settled, then? We have a plan?"

"Yep," The redhead replied happily, "So Ven will swing by your place after work-"

"But what if Naminé decides to come with me after work?" I interrupted apprehensively.

Sora frowned and thoughtfully tapped his chin with an index finger. "Hm, that's a good question. Maybe you should just take her out immediately after work so you don't have to go home. Give Ven your spare key or something."

"Demyx and I will head to your place after work to help Ven prep up," Axel piped up, "Plus if we all arrive as a group it'll be less conspicuous."

"Besides that there's nothing else to say," My twin brother shrugged, "I guess all you'll have to worry about from there is what you're going to be doing with Naminé."

"And we can always call or text or whatever to update you." Axel added.

It seemed straightforward enough. I nodded, though at the same time I still felt hesitant for some reason. "Alright, then I guess it's settled."

"Don't worry, Roxas," Axel placed a hand on my shoulder as I led them to the front door, "You'll get your girl sooner than you think."

For some reason I didn't find his words encouraging, but I smiled anyway. "Thanks. I'll see you guys later." I closed the door, and the apartment was eerily silent.

The next morning at work Naminé trotted into my office. I half-expected her to, anyway.

"Was dinner with Sora fun?" She asked as she sat on the corner of my desk.

"Y-yeah," I mumbled distractedly as I pretended to rifle through my emails, "It was alright. How was your Monday evening?"

The distant smile on her face was a little unnerving. "Great." She said in a daze, and a lump grew in my throat.

"Erm, do you mind if I ask why?" I peered over the top of my computer and noticed how she was staring into space. For some reason I didn't want to know the answer.

"Nothing, really," She shrugged, "Riku and I just spent the night on the phone."

My eyes widened slightly. "You spent the _entire_ night on the phone?"

She laughed lightly. "No, no...not the entire night. Just six hours or so."

_"Six hours or so?"_ I gaped, "You're ripping a very wide hole in your phone bill!"

She shook her blonde head; her hair wavered slightly around her shoulders. "I'm free in the evening."

I suppressed the urge to smack my face with my palm. This was the kind of stuff I'd expect from fifteen-year-olds in their first relationship, or something. All this fluffy crap was getting on my nerves. "C'mon, Naminé," I chuckled bitterly, "Six hours is a bit too much, don't you think? It's not like _not_ talking every day isn't going to mar your relationship or anything."

"I know that," She turned to face me, her expression slightly offended, "But...I dunno. It's just so easy to talk to him, y'know?" She laughed that distant laugh and shook her head again, "He says he's not a people person but I beg to differ. He's easier to get along with than he says."

I could feel my eyebrow twitching. "Oh."

She hopped off my desk. "Anyways, I better get back to work. I'll come by in the afternoon, 'kay?" She left my glass office, and once she was out of sight I groaned and buried my face in my hands.

Maybe I was farther from her than I thought.

Lunch break eventually came, but Naminé had to deal with some stuff the boss gave her so I couldn't spent time with her like I usually did. I wasn't in the mood to see her, anyway.

When I trudged into the lounge room I waved at the usual people - except for Axel, who was oddly absent.

"Hey," I pulled up a chair in between Demyx and Larxene, "Where's Ax-"

"Shh!" Demyx placed an index finger over his mouth; his eyes frantically darted to Larxene, who was talking to Luxord and Zexion, "Don't let her hear you!"

I raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"

My dirty blond-haired friend gestured for me to get up, so I did and followed him out of the room. He led me down the hall a little bit before leaning against the wall and sticking his hands in his pockets. "Larxene and Axel aren't talking."

"Wha...?" I ruffled the back of my hair, "They seemed just fine over the weekend…"

Demyx scratched his head in confusion. "That's what I thought too, but this morning Axel seemed like something was bothering him and Larxene's prissier than usual so I figured something was up."

I crossed my arms and stared at the floor. "Huh...that's weird." I caught a glimpse of Larxene peering at us from the lounge room and I gulped. "W-what if I talked to Axel? Do you think I'd be able to figure out what happened?"

He shrugged. "You can try, but I doubt you'll get anything."

I caught a flash of red; Axel was just heading into his office. "Oh, there he is. I might as well try now." I dashed after my best friend, who was just about to close his door. "Hey, Axel!"

He turned around very slowly. "Oh, hey Roxas." There was an unmistakable weight in his tone, and his eyes were trying to avoid mine. "Look, I'm kinda busy with work right now. I'll talk to you later."

I raised an eyebrow. "You don't look very busy."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I am." He closed the door on my face, and I stood there for a good two minutes watching him work without even acknowledging that I was there.

Well then...I guess Demyx was right.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _So Jealous _by Tegan and Sara._

_Did anyone catch my pathetic attempts at forming a subplot? Yeah...I need to work on that…_

_I know I'm really stretching things out here, but that's because I want each chapter to be relatively even in terms of length =P sorry for the wait; don't worry, the plot will pick up soon!_

_And to the anonymous reviewer who referred to themselves as _mhmm: _a slut is regarded as a person who sleeps with more than one person without any emotional attachment. I think you should give Naminé a chance to explain herself before you point fingers =) Just saying._

Hard to Get _has reached 300+ reviews! Thank you to all who are supporting me =) I'm eternally grateful for you guys - really, I am! Thank you thank you thank youuuu!_


	17. This Most Assuredly Counts

**This Most Assuredly Counts.**

Axel's strange mood dragged on for the rest of the day. I was afraid he wouldn't be in the mood for Friday and he'd end up canceling his plans with Riku. The week stumbled on by and his negativity wasn't showing any signs of lifting.

As if their odd silence wasn't weird enough I noticed Larxene began to arrive late to work...and by late I meant two to three hours. What was even weirder was that Xemnas didn't seem to mind at all. Was she that desperate to avoid Axel?

Something wasn't right here.

"I'm pretty sure Axel wouldn't bail on us," Demyx shrugged as we ate lunch in my office on Friday, "He was so stoked on getting Riku wasted; I'm pretty sure he hasn't forgotten about that!"

"Plus the idea of spending an evening at a bar without Larxene might appeal to him," I shrugged as I picked at my Nutella sandwich, "So I guess I shouldn't be thinking about it so much."

"Hey guys," I looked up and gaped at Axel, who was smirking at us with his hands in his pockets, "Ready for tonight?"

Demyx and I exchanged glances. "Uh, yeah," Demyx eyed our redheaded friend suspiciously as he took the seat beside him, "But the question is: are you?"

"'Course I am," Axel chuckled, "Why wouldn't I be?"

I was afraid of answering his question, but Demyx beat me to it anyway. "'Cause you haven't been acting like yourself this entire week, that's why."

My male beset friend's cheeks reddened a little, and he raised a hand to rub the back of his head. "Eh, it's not a big deal. Don't worry about it."

I decided to change the topic since Axel clearly didn't feel like talking about whatever was bothering him. "So...I have to take Naminé out the minute work is finished?"

"Yeah, 'cause Ven will be in your apartment getting ready and stuff," Axel jumped right onto my invitation, just like I expected him to, "So you'll have to think of something quick."

I sighed and shook my head. "Great."

"Hey, you've got it easy," Demyx exclaimed, "All you gotta do is take your girl out on a date! Axel, your brother and I are doing the dirty work for you!"

"I never asked you to."

"But we're doing it anyway," Axel added, "And I'm making _sure_ Riku gets drunk tonight!"

"What was that?" Naminé just pushed the door open to my office, and my heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my ribcage. Demyx and Axel's eyes were wider than saucers. "Oh, hey guys."

"Heya Naminé," Axel waved as she moved to sit on the edge of my desk, "How's it goin'? Any plans for tonight? It's Friday - gotta party it up."

"I'm spending it with Roxas, actually," She smiled and turned her head towards me, and I nervously tugged on my collar, "I feel like I haven't spent enough time with him lately, and I feel bad."

"But you're together every Sunday, aren't you?" Demyx asked, as if he didn't already know.

"Yeah...but we're always with his niece and nephew. I want it to be Roxas-and-Naminé time, not Roxas-Naminé-Koji-and-Miyo time." She grinned childishly, and my dirty blond-haired friend flushed; I'm pretty sure I was flushing too.

"Oh, that's reasonable I guess." Axel chuckled; there was that obvious slyness in his voice that was most likely appointed to me.

She tilted her head to the side a little. "What about you, Axel? What do you have planned for tonight?"

Demyx looked like he was about to hyperventilate, but Axel kept his cool like always. "Nothing, really. Probably hanging around at home. Maybe watch a movie or two."

"You're not doing anything with Larxene?" My heart wanted to stop the minute I heard Naminé utter that name.

Axel's face flushed for a slight second, but he regained his composure soon afterward. "I think she's busy." He replied in a flat voice. Demyx and I exchanged glances again. "Anyways," He rose from his chair and pulled Demyx up with him, "We better head back to work. I'll see you around."

"Is something wrong with Axel and Larxene?" Naminé asked the minute my friends left my office.

I shrugged. "Trust me, I've been trying to find out." I leaned back in my chair. "So what do you want to do after work?"

She shrugged her small shoulders. "I figured we'd just go to your place and relax. I just want to spend time with you."

I blushed at her last sentence. "Um, why don't we change things up a bit and head to yours instead? I haven't been there in awhile."

She pressed a finger to her chin and glanced up at the ceiling. "Hm, that sounds like a good idea."

I was actually kind of excited. In all the months we've been friends I think I've only been to Naminé's house two or three times, and all two or three times I've only been in the foyer part - well, there was that one time I was in her room before her first date with Riku but I don't really count that. "Sounds like a plan."

Her eyes lit up, and I smiled. "Can we make dinner from scratch and watch a bunch of movies?" She asked eagerly, and I laughed at her childish demeanor. She was so cute.

The dinner part sounded fun, but for some reason the 'bunch of movies' part sounded really girly to me. Regardless, I was willing to do anything with her. "Anything you want." I chuckled, and I laughed some more when her grin widened.

"Yay," She sang, "Now I'm _really_ excited." She swung her legs impatiently, like how a child would. "I wish work would end sooner…"

I shook my head in amusement. "Well, why don't you busy yourself with something? It'll make time go faster. Before you know it we'll be on the way to your house."

She hopped off my desk, her smile even bigger than before. "Good plan. I guess I'll come back after work?"

"Like always." I waved as she closed the glass door behind her. I sighed and ruffled my hair before returning to my laptop. In all honesty I was probably just as excited as Naminé - maybe even more than her - but at the same time I was worried for my friends and brother. When I had a bad feeling about something it always comes true, and I definitely had a bad feeling about tonight.

I didn't see Axel or Demyx for the rest of the day but Ven did give me a quick call to tell me he was at my place just before work ended.

"So," I could hear him rummaging through my cabinets, "I gotta use this hair dye? Are you sure it washes out?"

"It does," I assured him as I stuffed my papers into my briefcase, "But you gotta really scrub if you want all of it to come out."

"Doesn't sound so bad," I could picture him shrugging, "And the hat and glasses are pretty cool...but these jeans...man…"

I chortled sadly. "I know exactly how you feel. Don't worry, after awhile you kinda get used to it."

Ven sighed. "I'll take your word for it."

I heard my door swing open and when I spotted my blonde companion beaming in my direction I cringed inwardly. "Uh, hey, I have to go now. Call me if anything, alright?"

"Okay, see you later tonight - and good luck with your girl!" He hung up just as Naminé approached my desk, and I sighed in relief.

"Sora?" Her head was tilted to the side.

"Yeah," I mumbled as I pretended to be busy with my briefcase, "Just wanted to ask me something, that's all." I flipped the silver latches closed on my briefcase and glanced up at my 'girl', who was still smiling. "So, are we ready to go?"

She glanced at my work-appropriate attire. "Are you sure you don't wanna head home first to change?"

My hand shot up to my hair. "Y-yeah, don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

She raised a platinum eyebrow. "There's no rush, you know. We have the entire evening."

"I know," I replied hastily as I ushered her out of my office, "But...er, I just...I really don't want to go home."

She briefly glanced over her shoulder to raise another eyebrow at me. "And why is that?"

"Because...there's a big mess and I don't want to worry about cleaning it up right now…" My eyes shifted left and right, "And I'd rather leave that to the weekend because today is our day and not my apartment's day."

She sighed. "Fine, if you're not gonna tell me then I won't heckle you further."

My chest deflated in relief. I don't know whether she's too nice to call me out on my horrible lying or she's really oblivious...but I wasn't complaining.

We drove back to her house in our separate cars, and I parked by the curb as usual. The sun was slowly sinking into the sky and it was oddly chilly for this time of year. I wondered if that was a bad omen or something.

"Wait in the kitchen," Naminé ordered the minute we stepped inside, "I'm gonna get changed."

"Alright." I ruffled my hair and continued down the narrow hallway into her small but cozy kitchen: the tiles on the wall by the stove were a light, creamy brown and the tiles on the floor were the same colour. The countertops were a warm beige and the table and chairs were made of worn wood. It gave a very homey-type of feel.

I noticed a few odd-shaped pieces of paper sitting on the counter next to the microwave, and out of curiosity I approached it. When I was close enough I realized that they were paper cranes, all folded in different colours and sizes. I picked the smallest one up - it was teetering on the tip of my pinky finger and the colour reminded me of my favourite ice cream - and squinted at it. How did she manage to-

"All done." I spun around and spotted Naminé standing by the doorway in a very loose pair of grey pajama pants and an even looser white t-shirt with a faded high school athletic team logo on the front. She padded towards me. "So, what do you want for dinner?"

I was still eyeing her outfit. "Okay, those _definitely_ aren't your clothes."

She blinked up at me. "Obviously not. They're Riku's."

_"WHAT?" _I would've crushed the tiny paper crane in my hand if I didn't forget last-minute that I was holding it, "How-"

"I was at his house one night," She replied casually as she gently pushed me aside; she knelt in front of one of the drawers and pulled out a pot and pan, "And it started raining really hard so he didn't want me to drive home. I ended up spending the night at his place...and the morning after I was too lazy to change back so he let me have these."

Axel's words from earlier echoed clearly in my head as I tried to listen to her explanation:

_"Isn't _she_ still a virgin - that is, if Riku didn't secretly deflower her without us knowing?"_

Gah, what does it matter? That's her business and not mine...why does it matter? _I'm _not a virgin...it doesn't matter! It's not like we'll ever-

Okay, I'm thinking too far. Ugh.

"Oh, okay," I managed to find my voice albeit the fact that I was still clearly shocked, "I was wondering why your clothes looked at least sixteen sizes too big."

She giggled before skipping over to her pantry. "House clothes are meant to be sixteen sizes too big. They're comfier that way."

I mussed up my hair as she scoured her shelves. I unconsciously slipped the paper crane into my pocket. "Y-yeah, you're right."

We ended up having pasta for dinner; Naminé had a special recipe for the sauce (she made sure I wasn't looking while she mixed the ingredients - actually even before that she made sure I wasn't looking when she brought the ingredients out) that tasted fantastic, and she even brought out a fancy bottle of wine. Dinner was nothing special; we chatted casually and everything, but I hoped I didn't say anything stupid because I honestly wasn't paying complete attention to our conversation. Firstly, I was worried about Axel, Demyx and Ven and secondly I couldn't get the image of Riku and Naminé sleeping together in the same bed out of my head.

This was going to give me a headache.

"Hey, Roxas?" Naminé was waving a small hand in front of my face, "Yoohoo…"

I blinked a few times. "Huh? Oh, sorry…" I rumpled my hair and stood up, gathering my plate and glass in my hands, "I was thinking about something."

She washed the dishes and I dried them. "You really need to stop all this spacing out. You've been doing it a lot lately."

Guilt twisted my insides and I frowned. "I know...I'm sorry. I can't help it. There's...there's just a lot going through my head."

"Well," She said as she led me out of the kitchen and into the television room: again it was small but cozy with homely colours and decor, "You must have a billion things to think about because sometimes I think you zone out into another dimension. I bet if I blew an air horn right beside you, you wouldn't even notice!"

I plopped down on the plush loveseat and buried my face in my hands. She wasn't really making me feel any better about this. "Ugh, I know…"

I felt the other half of the couch depress as Naminé sat down beside me. She pried my hands away from my face. "Y'know, it would help if you talked about it."

There was no point in lying to her. "I know, and I really do want to talk about it but…" I looked away, "I can't. I don't think I can."

"Roxas…" I felt her hands on the sides of my face and my pulse quickened; she forced me to look straight into her eyes, which were beseeching and sad and just downright heartwrenching, "You can tell me anything, you know that."

I pulled away from her grasp. This was so hard. "Not this time. Sorry."

The hurt strewn across her face was unbearable, but I knew I couldn't give in. She bit her bottom lip and for a second I thought she was going to cry, but luckily she didn't. If she did I probably would've caved right then and there. "Well...I guess I have no choice but to respect your decision," She smiled, though I could sense a hint of sadness behind her expression, "But at the same time I want you to _not_ worry about...whatever you're worrying about so much, okay?" Her face fell for a moment, and my chest ached for her, "'Cause...I don't like seeing you being all spacey and stuff. I don't like it when you're sad."

This guilt was going to kill me. "Alright, I'll try my best to be happy for you." When she looked up at me I grinned for her. "I don't like it when you're sad either, and if me being sad makes you sad then...er, I'll try to not be sad."

Her expression brightened again, and I felt my shoulders get lighter. "Good." She bounced off the couch and knelt over her pile of movies by the television. "So...what do you want to watch first?"

I shrugged and loosened my tie a bit. I completely forgot I was wearing one in the first place; maybe that's why I felt like I was choking up. "It doesn't matter, really."

She smirked. "I'm gonna make you regret saying that." She returned to the couch with her arms laden with different DVDs. "This should be enough for tonight."

My eyes widened as I scanned through her choices. "Why are they all romance dramas - _Korean_ romance dramas? You said we were gonna watch movies!"

Her eyes narrowed as she snatched the DVDs away from me. "Hey, they're as good as any movie - maybe even better - and I need to catch up! Watch, after three episodes you're gonna get addicted."

I rolled my eyes and leaned into my palm. "Right." I watched her as she popped one disc into the player, and when the menu popped up and the cheesy music started to play I groaned. "This is so girly…"

She bounded back to my side and pulled on the blanket that was thrown over the backrest of the couch. She spread it out so that it covered the both of us evenly. "Do you want hot chocolate? I'm craving hot chocolate." She paused for a minute, tapping her chin with her index finger. "And Nutella." She raced out of the room, and I sighed. This girl never stays still when she's hungry - and she gets hungry _a lot. _I swear we just ate dinner not even ten minutes ago...

I could hear her moving around in the kitchen and I took the opportunity to remove my tie and roll up my sleeves. I still couldn't believe I was _this_ close to telling her everything. I was beginning to wonder what would've happened if I did. What would she do? How would she react? Would she burst into tears and demand me to leave? Would she tearily confess that she felt the same way all along? Would she start to cry and tell me that she's confused, and that she doesn't want to see me right now? Would she shove me off the couch and tell me she never wants to speak to me again with angry tears glistening in her eyes?

Why was she crying in every scenario...?

"Back," She returned with a tray of two steaming mugs of hot chocolate and two plates with toast - smeared with Nutella of course. I thanked her quietly as I took my share. "Okay, are you ready for the awesomeness that is, er," She squinted at the DVD case, _"Sunset Love Story?"_

Just the name of the damn thing made me cringe. "No…"

She grinned from ear to ear. "Great! Time to watch the first episode." She pressed 'play' on the remote and I groaned in defeat.

I honestly didn't see how this was so intriguing. I tried paying attention to the first couple of episodes but the cheesiness was just too much for me. Naminé, on the other hand, was engorged in it: she was leaning forward to the point where I thought she was going to fall off the couch, and she reacted towards the smallest things. Sometimes she would start tearing up, and I'd have no idea why. Do all girls act like this when they watch sappy romance stuff?

Maybe I would've been able to pay attention if I understood Korean, because I thought reading subtitles while trying to watch the actual episode was too much of a hassle.

Once the credits of the thirteenth episode finished rolling I expected the next one to start playing, but the screen went black instead; the DVD must've been finished. "Finally," I breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled, "Hey, can we watch a _real_ movie now?" When I got no response I turned towards my shorter companion, "Hey, Nami-"

My heart melted when I spotted Naminé leaning against the armrest, fast asleep. Her empty mug and plate sat by the floor, and I moved them away just in case. I leaned towards her and brushed the hair from her eyes, and I smiled when a small smile curved on the corners of her lips. I gave her my share of the blanket and I laughed quietly when she snuggled against it. She was such a baby.

Her bangs slipped into her eyes again and I moved to tuck her hair behind her ear, but she must've misinterpreted me because the moment I was close to her she reached out and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me towards her. My eyes widened as she squished my cheek against hers, and I tried wriggling out of her grip but it was no use.

"Ugh," I felt really uncomfortable lying on top of her, so I rolled to the side and held her close to me so she wouldn't fall off the couch. She hummed happily and pressed herself against my body, nuzzling her head against my neck and tightening her arms around me even more. I felt my face heating up and I forced a lump down my throat; great, just great…

Well, at least she was keeping me warm - and wasn't I supposed to be enjoying this? I thought this was what I wanted. I thought this was why my friends and brother were at the bar right now, trying to get Riku drunk.

Maybe she thought I was Riku, or something. There couldn't be any other explanation. I mean, she wouldn't be dreaming of sleeping with me or anything - at least not this closely. I don't think she'd look so happy either.

But I guess I could always pretend.

I gave up and rested my chin atop her head, closing my eyes and listening to her breathe. I rubbed her back slowly and I smiled as she relaxed into my embrace, cuddling against me some more. I don't know why, but I began to hum a song. I always figured that being sung to sleep was sort of romantic, and I figured that was the kind of thing she liked. Maybe Riku sings her to sleep. I don't know. I don't really want to know.

And of course, right at that moment my luck decided to take yet another turn for the worse: my phone began to vibrate in my pocket. I was pretty sure Naminé could feel it because the minute it began to ring she stirred a little.

I grunted as I managed to push myself out of her arms and hop over her to the floor. I swiped my hand through my hair and knelt down to give her a quick kiss on the forehead before dashing out of the room to answer my phone. I guess that was the unexpected kiss I owed her back...but then again it might not count since she wasn't conscious to experience it.

"Hello?" I huffed as I entered the kitchen; I moved to the table and sat down.

"Rox?" It was my brother, and he sounded frantic.

My heart began to hammer. "What is it?" I remembered to keep my voice low just in case.

"Er...the plan didn't exactly turn out as well as we hoped."

I knew it. "Um, exactly _how_ did it not turn out…?"

"Roxas?" I heard Axel screaming in the background from the other line, "Ven, are you talking _avec ROXAS?" _Why was he yelling…?

Oh. Wait.

"Did you hear that?" Ven asked exasperatingly, "If you did, that should be enough to explain why."

_"He_ got drunk instead." I answered flatly, and when my brother didn't reply I repressed the urge to break out into a cussing fit. "What the hell happened?"

"Um, well everything started out okay at first - like, we were having a few drinks with Riku and everything and it was all going well," I could hear Axel's slurred words in the background and Demyx anxiously trying to calm him down, "But Axel kinda just kept going...and going...and going…" Ven paused for a minute, "Demyx told me he hasn't been in the mood lately…"

I _knew_ Larxene had something to do about this. "Ugh, I think I might know why. Where's Riku?"

"He wanted to stay and help us out be we insisted that we had everything under control - plus he needed to leave early 'cause of some art thingy tomorrow...and his date with Naminé." I cringed at the last part. "He seemed pretty intent on _not_ getting wasted tonight."

Makes sense - why would he get drunk when he knew he had plans the next day? Maybe Axel just wasn't convincing enough...or he was just too depressed about whatever he's arguing with Larxene to actually focus on his plan. "Alright, where are you guys right now?"

"We're still here - we're trying to get Axel to the car, but he won't listen to us. I think you're the only one who can talk some sense into him, Roxas. Sorry to cut your date short…"

"No, no," I shook my head even though I felt a tad disappointed, "She's asleep anyways. I'll head over."

_"Asleep?_ What did-"

"Nothing!" I hissed, "God, are any of you capable of thinking cleanly for once?" I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. "Okay, hold tight. I'm coming." I shoved my phone into my pocket and rose from my chair so quickly I almost knocked it over.

I don't care if I had to squeeze it out of him - I was going to confront Axel about this once and for all.

I stormed down the hallway and grabbed my jacket that was hanging over the banister. As I straightened my tie I heard soft footsteps hesitantly heading towards me, and I turned to see Naminé staring at me through confused half-open eyes. "Roxas…?"

"Naminé," I rushed over to her and gently pressed my hands on her tiny shoulders, "I'm sorry, but I have to go. There's...there's been an emergency."

Her eyes immediately widened. "An emergency? What happened? Did-"

"It's nothing you should worry about," I assured her, "But I have to get there as quickly as I can. I'm really sorry - I'll make it up to you, okay? Pick any day and we'll watch all the dumb, cheesy dramas you want."

She grabbed the lapels of my jacket and glared at me for a second before throwing her eyes to the floor. "B-but," She bit her lip, "I...how am I gonna know you'll be okay?"

I sucked in a breath and moved my hands to her face; I gently tilted her head upwards so I could look straight into her eyes. "I'll call you the minute I get home."

"Minute?" Her eyes narrowed again, "You mean _second - _the _second_ you get home." She shook her head. "Actually...the _millisecond_ you get home!"

I laughed and pulled her into a hug. My chest hurt a little when I felt her cling to me for dear life, as if this was the last time we were going to see each other. I'm only going to help my stupid drunk friend, for goodness sake. "I will, I promise." I squeezed her one last time before finally letting go and opening her front door. I forgot to look back.

_Axel is an idiot, _I thought bitterly as I stabbed my key into the ignition, _He was always an idiot._

When I stopped at a red light I unconsciously dipped my hand into my pocket. When I pulled my hand out I found the tiny blue paper crane sitting right in the centre of my palm, uncrushed and in the exact same perfect shape from when I took it from Naminé's kitchen counter.

Strange.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _Look After You _by The Fray._

_The song I imagined Roxas humming was Mayday Parade's _I Swear, This Time I Mean It.


	18. When I'm Not With You

_A/N: Warning: Axel has a dirty mouth._

* * *

**When I'm Not With You.**

I was going to give Axel a piece of my mind.

He was so pumped on getting Riku wasted, and in the end _he_ ended up as the wasted one! So stupid. So irresponsible.

The reasonable side of me was berating me for judging him without knowing his side of the story, but I didn't want to listen. I was too angry. The unreasonable side was dominating right now. I was angry I had to cut my time short with Naminé, and I was angry Axel was too absorbed in his own problems to solve mine.

I was being selfish right now, but I didn't care.

The bar wasn't too far from where Naminé lived, which was good at least. I managed to get there in fifteen minutes. My friends and brother were easy to find, since they appeared to be having some sort of a scuffle in the parking lot. How embarrassing.

"Axel, calm down!" I heard Ven yell as he dodged one of the redhead's oncoming punches, "We're not trying to hurt you!"

"SHUT UP!" He bellowed as I scrambled out of my car, "A-all of you...all of you are...are ass-"

"Axel," I approached him slowly, "What are you doing?"

"Roxas," Demyx sighed in relief, "Thank God."

"R-R-" My male best friend hiccuped, "Roxas! BUDDY!" He threw his arms around me, picked me up and spun me around once. My ribcage was piercing my lungs. "What are you doin' here? I, I, I thought Ven was-"

"You look a bit tired, man," I huffed when he finally set me back on the ground, "Maybe I should take you home. You look like you need a good nights' sleep."

Axel raised an eyebrow. "Huh?" His green eyes narrowed and he stepped away from me, "N-no...you're...you're just like THEM!" He pointed towards Ven and Demyx, who were shaking their heads and shrugging their shoulders in confusion, "They're...t-they're trying to, trying to...fuckin' what was I supposed to say-"

"I've forgotten how stupid you become when you're drunk," I muttered; I grabbed his arm and dragged him towards my car, "Alright, if you won't cooperate I guess I'm gonna have to take matters into my own hands."

"W-wait," Axel squirmed as Ven took hold of his other arm; Demyx kept one hand on his back, "Where...where are we-"

"You're spending the night at my house," I said firmly as I shoved him into the passenger's seat of my car, "And I'm not letting you leave until you tell me _everything."_ I turned towards my brother and friend. "Sorry about this, guys."

Demyx shrugged. "Hey, no biggie. D'you think I can drop by in the morning, though - y'know, just to check up on him and stuff. I can drive him home then too if you'd like."

I nodded. "Sounds good. What about you, bro? You coming with me?"

My oldest brother rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess so. I have nothing better to do." He patted Demyx on the back before clambering into the back seat.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning then, Dem." I gave him a pat on the back of my own before heading inside my car. I made sure Axel had his seatbelt buckled. "You okay, Axel?"

His head was lolled back against the headrest, his limbs were slack and his eyes were partially closed but he nodded…I think.

"I'll take that as a yes." I rolled down his window. "Just don't yack in my car."

"So," Ven drawled as I began the drive back to my apartment, "Demyx told me that Axel was fighting with his girlfriend or something."

"Yeah," My eyes flitted to my rearview mirror, "Him and Larxene haven't been talking this past week, but neither of them would tell us why. I'm hoping Axel would be able to tell us since he's intoxicated, but…" I glanced at him; he looked on the verge of passing out, "I don't know if that's possible anymore."

"Well, you saved his butt tonight," Ven said as I turned a corner, "Maybe you can blackmail him the next morning - say he owes you or something."

"That might work." I switched lanes. "I wonder what it could be, though? It must be something really bad for them to not talk for a week…"

"For sure - and if it's something Axel is willing to get himself wasted for then it's _gotta_ be something bad. He was always the type to hold in his liquor."

"Yeah," I frowned, "Well...hopefully your blackmail plan works."

By the time we reached my apartment Axel was barely conscious. Ven and I had to carry him all the way. Now that there was some light I could see Ven in my artist costume: he looked exactly like me when I dyed my hair and wore clothes like those. I guess it wasn't such a bad idea to get him to stand in for me after all.

"Y'know," Axel huffed as we hauled him down the hallway; I hoped my neighbours couldn't hear him because he was speaking rather loudly, "W-women...women are-" He hiccuped, "-women are nothing but trouble."

Ven and I exchanged glances. "Oh? And why is that?" I searched my pockets for my keys; my fingers brushed against the paper crane for a split second and Naminé popped into my head; I was supposed to call her! Guess I had no choice but to wait until Axel settles down…

"Because," My male best friend continued rambling as we carried him through the door and into my suite, "T-they...they make you _think_ you know...k-know everything about them...but you DON'T!"

"What do you mean?" Ven asked as we brought him to one of the guest bedrooms. Thank God for the penthouse suite.

"T-they...they just _loooooooove _to fuck us dudes over." Once we placed Axel on the bed he sat up to violently poke me in the chest. "Y'know what I...w-what I'm talkin' about! Out of ALL people y-you should know what the...what the hell I'm talkin' about! You...you probably...pr-probably...prob-" He clamped a hand over his mouth and raced to the adjoined bathroom.

I ruffled my hands through my hair. "I'm guessing he thinks Larxene screwed him over somehow."

"Yeah," My brother agreed, "But I guess we can't really get the full story 'till tomorrow morning."

"P-probably-" Axel's voice echoed from inside the bathroom; he was trying to speak in between retches, "-j-just as fucked over...as-" He paused to regurgitate again, "-a-as me…"

"Hm...maybe Larxene's cheating on him? I mean...judging from what he's saying - no offense." My brother held up his hands, but I shrugged.

"Naminé can't be cheating on me when we were never together in the first place." I replied emotionlessly. I sat up and mussed up my hair again. "Hey, it's late now. Maybe you should stay over too."

"You sure?" Ven stood up as well, "I don't wanna be a hassle or anything-"

"You definitely won't be as much of a hassle as Mister I-Hate-Women over there," I smirked as I jerked my head towards the door to the bathroom; right on cue Axel puked some more, "And you live, like, across town! There's no way I'm making you drive all the way back."

"I only live an hour away, Rox."

"Still, that's pretty far," I chuckled as I threw an arm around his shoulders, "And it's been a long night. Just take the other room."

"You have _another_ room?" He gaped at me, and I flushed.

"There's only three rooms, chill." I led him back into the hallway and pointed at the door just across. "Right there. I'll get you something to sleep in and everything."

"What about Axel?"

"I'll take care of him, don't worry. I'll be back," I quickly poked into my room to grab a pair of shorts and shirt for my brother to wear, and when I returned I tossed them over to him, "There. Now you're all set."

Ven smiled and pulled me in for a one-armed hug. "Thanks, Roxas."

"Eh, it's the least I can do for helping me tonight," I smiled back, "Anyways, I gotta check up on the drunkard. Sleep well, bro."

"You too." He closed the door, and I made my way back to the second bedroom.

When I got there Axel had just flushed the toilet and stumbled out of the bathroom, pale and exhausted. He ripped off his beret and hair tie before collapsing face-first on the bed. "Ugh." His voice was muffled against the pillows.

"Er, are you gonna be okay?" I leaned against the doorframe.

"Gimme a few hours of sleep and I'll get back to you." He muttered, and I chuckled.

"Alright." I spun on my heel to leave but when I heard Axel mumble my name I turned around again. "Yeah?"

"I'll...I'll tell you e...e-everything tomorrow morning. I promise."

I felt excited and scared at the same time. "Alright, Axel. 'Night."

"'Night." I closed the door behind me.

When I returned to my room I glanced at the clock radio, and my eyes nearly bulged out of their skull when I realized it was nearly two in the morning. Did dragging Axel all the way from the bar to my apartment take _that_ long? I left Naminé's place at around ten or so; driving to the bar and getting Axel only felt like it lasted half an hour or so.

I plucked my phone out of my pocket; my pinky somehow caught onto the paper crane as well, so when I pulled my hand out the small blue bird flipped into the air and landed soundlessly on my bed. I picked it up and placed it on top of my clock radio.

I glanced at the time again and frowned; it was really late now. Was it worth it to call her? What if she was asleep? I didn't want to wake her.

But I promised to call…

Before I could make up my mind I somehow ended up dialing her number anyway, and I gulped as I listened to it ring once…

Actually, it didn't even finish ringing once. "Roxas?" Naminé sounded wide awake and frightened.

"I'm home, Naminé." I sat on the edge of my bed and ran my fingers through my hair. I cradled my phone on my shoulder and reached for the paper crane. "Everything's okay now."

"You sound awfully calm for someone who had to rush off to an emergency," She muttered, "How long have you been home? You promised you'd call the-"

"-millisecond I got home, I know," I finished her sentence, "But under the circumstances I couldn't do that. I had to take care of a few things. I'm sorry; you know I would've called you sooner if I had the chance to."

She was silent for a few seconds. "Oh. Yeah, you're right...sorry. I...I was just really worried…" She sniffled, and my eyes widened; oh please, oh please don't cry… "I couldn't sleep. I couldn't sleep until you called me. I was so scared."

I laughed in a vain attempt to lighten the mood. "I wasn't the one in a state of emergency, Naminé; don't act like my life is on the line or anything. I'm okay, and there's nothing to be scared of - there was nothing to be scared of to begin with."

"If there was nothing to be scared of why did _you_ sound so panicky when you had to leave?"

I gulped and thought quickly. "Er, well that's because I _thought_ there was something to be scared of-"

"What happened? Maybe that would help me understand the situation."

I forced myself to think faster. "My…" I was so anxious I thought I was going to start hyperventilating, "My dad. My dad, he...he fell."

"Oh no," She sounded devastated, "Fell from where?"

"He was up on a ladder fixing a broken window - he works as a window repairer, you see," That was actually the truth, and the story I was about to tell her actually _did _happen - she didn't have to know that it happened well over ten years ago, however… "And the family whose house he was fixing had a really big dog, and it accidentally brushed against the ladder and it kinda just...tumbled."

"That's terrible," Naminé's voice was barely above a whisper, "Is...is he okay?"

"Just a broken leg and a few scrapes and bruises," I shrugged, "But other than that he's fine."

"I guess that's not so bad, but...erm," I could picture her tugging on her hair, "At his age...shouldn't he be retired? And why would he be repairing windows when it's dark out?"

"It happened earlier in the afternoon but I was just informed of it when I was at your place," I answered quickly, "As for the retirement thing...well, he loves his job too much to quit. He's stronger than you think - he's full of surprises."

I sighed inwardly when I heard her giggle from the other end. "Just like you."

I flushed. "Yeah, I guess. Anyways, now that you know everything's okay can you _please_ get some sleep?"

"I will," She said, "But you better get some sleep too!"

"I'm going to sleep soon after I hang up, I promise." I tousled my hair. "Goodnight, Naminé. Sweet dreams."

"You too, Roxas." I canceled the call and stared at the screen for a couple seconds before tossing my phone on my nightstand. What a night.

After all the stuff that happened in the past few hours I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to sleep, but once I washed and changed for bed and crawled underneath my sheets fatigue hit me like a freight train and I was out instantly. I guess all the stuff that happened in the past few hours really tired me out, and I was just too overwhelmed with everything to realize it.

I don't remember whether I was too tired to close my blinds or I simply just forgot, but because there was nothing to shield the sun I woke up pretty early. It wasn't like I minded much, anyway; I felt well-rested enough and I didn't think I would be able to go back to sleep if I tried.

I trudged to the bathroom and washed off all traces of morning grogginess with a cold shower. I languidly dressed into jeans and a t-shirt and ruffled the back of my damp hair as I stepped out of my room, only to be blinded by more sun. It was barely seven in the morning.

Wait, what was that smell…?

It was coming from the kitchen. I cautiously made my way down the hallway with one eyebrow raised; was Ven awake? Why was he up so early? It couldn't have been Axel; even if he didn't drink himself to death the night before he would wake up well past noon.

When I entered the kitchen I spotted my oldest brother by the stove, humming tunelessly to himself as he flipped a few pancakes. Even though I was being extra quiet he managed to notice me; he turned around and gave me a Sora-like grin. "'Morning little brother," He waved a spatula in the air, "This is the first time I've seen you up this early in years!" I noticed that his hair was back to blond; he must've been up _really_ early if he had time to scrub all that dye off.

I took a seat by the kitchen table and rubbed my face with my hands. Those pancakes smelled really good. "Why are _you_ up so early?"

Ven placed the pancakes in front of me, along with another plate and some utensils. "Used to it, I guess," He said as he dug through my pantry for the maple syrup, "Work kinda embeds itself into your schedule when it's all you've been doing these days."

"How early do you wake up, exactly…?"

"Erm, around five, five-thirty?" He opened the fridge and grabbed the butter.

"Wow," I gaped as he sat next to me, "I can't imagine doing that all the time. Your hours are so early."

"Well, I have regular nine-to-five hours like everyone else," Ven admitted bashfully as he reached for his knife, "But I dunno...I like waking up early. I feel like I waste too many hours a day with my eyes closed. I don't like being blind from the world." A distant smiled formed on his face and for a second it looked like he was thinking back to a fond past memory. "Plus...the sunrise always looks prettier than the sunset."

The things my oldest brother says baffle me sometimes. "You're such a girl."

Before Ven could retaliate a zombie-like groan emitted from the doorway. The both of us looked up to see Axel slumped against the wall. "Ungh," He muttered as he slapped a hand to his forehead, "I'm not even going to ask what happened…"

"'Morning sunshine," Ven beamed; he nodded towards the chair across from me, "Have something to eat."

"Don't mention food, please," My redheaded best friend clutched his stomach, "Roxas...aspirin…"

"There should be some in your bathroom, Axel," I said before taking a bite of my pancakes, "And remember what you promised me last night?"

His eyes popped open. "Huh?"

I smirked. "You promised you'd tell me _everything."_

He scrunched his forehead for a moment as he forced himself to think back. "Oh...right. Dammit." He shook his head. "Fine, I'll spill - _after_ this headache goes away." He stumbled back into the hallway.

"Maybe you should call Demyx," Ven suggested, "He'll want to know what's up." He finished his breakfast quickly and moved towards the sink to clean up.

"What about you?" I asked as I cut myself another piece of pancake, "Aren't you gonna stay?"

I frowned when my brother shook his head. "Nah, I think I've done all I can here...for now - plus this stuff's none of my business." He brushed his fingers through his hair. "If you ever need another decoy just call me and I'll swing by again okay? I'll always be around if you need help, Rox."

I stood up and followed Ven to the front door, and I pulled him into a hug. "Thanks," I mumbled into his shoulder, "But...I wish you could stay. I...I would've wanted Naminé to meet you."

My brother laughed as he searched his pockets for his car keys. "I don't think now's the best time for introductions, Rox. Plus, you're going to Lea's wedding aren't you?"

I raised an eyebrow, confused. "Yeah, so?"

"Then why don't you invite her to come with you? I can meet her then." He opened the door and gave me a friendly salute. "See you around, little brother. Keep in touch."

I completely forgot about Lea's wedding. Did Larxene and Axel's fight have something to do with it…?

"Ven left?" Axel was standing a few feet away from me, still dressed in his artsy clothes from the night before, "Huh, I wish he stayed. Haven't seen the guy in awhile."

"Yeah," I shrugged, "Oh well. He said to call him again if we ever need his help."

"That's cool." Axel wandered into the television room and flopped onto the couch. "I haven't had a hangover this bad since college."

"Your fault," I rolled my eyes as I sat on the armrest, "So…are you gonna tell me now or what?"

"Get Demyx first - I don't wanna repeat everything."

Oh, right - I forgot to do that. I dashed into my room to grab my phone and I dialed quickly. "Hey, Demyx?"

"Unnghhh…" He moaned sleepily, "'Ello…? Roxas…?"

"Hey man, sorry for waking you up so early but Axel's feeling better and he said he'd tell us everything if you came over as soon as possible."

"'Kay...ten minutes." He hung up on me immediately after that. I guess that meant he was coming in ten minutes.

"Is he coming?" Axel was face-first on the couch when I returned to the television room.

"Yeah, in ten minutes...I think." I returned to my spot on the armrest. "Can you at least give me a tiny hint?"

"No." My male best friend rolled over and threw an arm over his eyes. "Just wait 'till Demyx gets here."

I impatiently twiddled my thumbs as I waited for Demyx to come. Every few minutes or so my eyes would dart to the digital time on the DVD player underneath the TV: five minutes, six minutes, seven minutes…

What were Axel and Larxene fighting over, and was it really bad to the point where Axel had to drink himself away last night? Why was it so bad to the point where Larxene arrived a few hours late to work every morning since this week started?

Twelve minutes later Demyx arrived. "How'ya doin'?" He jokingly petted Axel's head, and the redhead swatted his hand away.

"Hands off," He growled, "Do you wanna know what's up or not?"

Demyx immediately retracted his hand and hung his head. "Sorry."

I impatiently crossed my arms and glared down at Axel, who still had one arm covering his eyes. "Stop stalling!"

He let out a long sigh. "Fine, fine. Geez. You guys are like a couple of high school girls."

"Well, it's not every day your friend stops talking with his girlfriend for a week," Demyx rolled his eyes, "And it's not every day your friend comes late to work on purpose to-"

"I get it," Axel muttered, "Okay, do you really wanna know?"

"Yes." Demyx and I answered exasperatingly. This was getting annoying now…

"Do you really, _really_ wanna know?"

_"Yes!"_

Axel sighed again and sat up, rubbing his face and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his thighs. He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head.

"God, I can't believe-"

"Holy shit, Axel," Demyx threw up his hands, "Just freaking tell us already. Holding it off ain't gonna do anything."

My redheaded best friend lifted his head and stared us dead in the eyes.

"Larxene's pregnant."

* * *

_Chapter Inspiration: _Drinking for 11 _by Mad Caddies._

_Cliffhanger...I know. Sorry._


	19. I Wish That She Was Mine

**I Wish That She Was Mine.**

Okay, so I _definitely_ wasn't expecting that.

Axel stared at our dumbfounded expressions and smirked. "Surprise, surprise."

I shook my head. "Wait…" I shifted my fingers through my hair, "I don't get it…"

The redhead leaned back against the couch and rested his arms on top of the backrest. "Yes you do. Think about it."

I frowned and crossed my arms again. _Think about it._

All they ever do is...well, y'know, so I guess that makes sense…

Larxene coming late to work in the morning…

_ Oh._

"Well then…" Demyx awkwardly scratched the side of his head, "Erm, congratulations?"

Axel laughed bitterly. "Thanks."

"When did you find out?" I asked.

"Weekend, obviously," He placed his arms on his thighs again and hunched over, "I called her on Sunday but she wasn't picking up, so naturally I got worried and went over to see what was going on. When she didn't answer the door I resorted to breaking in-"

"You _broke in?"_ Demyx and I exclaimed simultaneously, and our eyes bulged even more when Axel nodded calmly.

"Well what else was I supposed to do? Anyways once I got inside she was in the bathroom. She was feeling sick all morning." He rubbed one eye. "The second she saw me standing there she just blew up, telling me how this was my fault and everything. She didn't exactly say _why_ it was my fault, but I pieced everything together and found out."

"Wait, so you're only assuming she's pregnant?" I raised an eyebrow, "Maybe you're just over-thinking things."

"Oh no, no, she's definitely knocked up," My redheaded friend replied tiredly, "She threw the pregnancy test at me before kicking me out."

Demyx wrinkled his nose. "Ew."

My frown deepened. "I'm guessing Xemnas already knows." When Axel nodded I glanced at him. "He's cool with it?"

"He really has no other choice," He shrugged his bony shoulders, "You can't really replace us - we're the best he's ever had...well I dunno about Demyx-"

"Hey!"

"-but yeah," My male best friend continued, "He's letting Larxene work until the last three months or something. The only reason why I know all of this is because the boss man approached me himself and gave me a talking-to." He laughed that bitter laugh again. "Funny how I had to hear this from my _boss_ and not the girl I got pregnant…"

"So that means you're keeping the baby?" I ruffled my hair.

"Yeah - well, I guess Larxene decided for me."

"But what about you?" Demyx asked, "Do _you_ want to keep it? It's yours too, y'know!"

Axel glared at him. "I know _that,"_ He spat, "But she won't talk to me. It's my burden to carry too...and I'm willing to share my half of the load - maybe even more than half." He sighed deeply and shook his head. "I don't know how I get myself into these situations."

"Well you're gonna have to talk to her eventually," I pointed out, "And I personally think she's been given enough time to cool off. You should just keep trying to reach her, Axel. Let her know that you won't let her raise the kid alone."

He sighed a third time. "But you know how stubborn she is. It's gonna be hard to get through to her." He chuckled sadly. "Geez, she's acting as if all of this was totally my fault." Demyx snorted, and Axel raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

The dirty blond snorted again. "I'm just trying to picture you as a dad."

I couldn't help but laugh. That _was_ pretty funny…

Axel whipped a pillow in Demyx's direction and roared with laughter when he got him square in the face. "Serves you right, idiot." He turned to glower at me and I immediately shut up. "That's what I thought." He stood up and stretched his arms. "Well...it's high time I got outta here. I need to sleep this hangover away."

"Don't sleep the _entire_ day away," I rolled my eyes as I led him and Demyx to the door, "You should try talking to Larxene tonight."

The redhead groaned. "Do I have to?"

"Just keep trying," I insisted as I unlocked the door, "You're gonna get to her eventually." I waved to Demyx as he walked outside, but just as Axel was heading out he stopped. "What?"

"Ah, what the hell," He turned around and smirked, "I was gonna tell you not to tell a soul but I already know you're gonna tell your lady friend."

My cheeks grew hot. "I wasn't planning to-"

"It doesn't matter, Roxas. Everyone's gonna find out anyway - better sooner than later, right?" He laughed and gave me one of his salutes. "See you Monday."

I guess I had to tell Naminé now…

Well I couldn't tell her _now - _she was going on a date with Riku later tonight. I guess it could wait until tomorrow.

I lounged around my apartment for the remainder of the morning, trying to find something to do. I cleaned up a bit and played around with my guitar, but other than that I was bored to death. Maybe I should've asked Demyx and Axel if they wanted to hang out…

I heard my cell phone ring from my room, and I rushed to answer it. I raised an eyebrow when I spotted Naminé's name blinking on the screen. "Er, hello?"

"Hi Roxas," She chirped, "How are you?"

I rumpled the back of my hair as I crawled onto my bed. "Uh, I'm alright. You?"

"Peachy. Say, are you busy tonight?"

As if I wasn't confused enough… "No, I don't think so-"

"Oh, that's great! Do you wanna hang out with me and Riku?"

My heart was _so_ ready to burst out of my chest at that moment. "Um...come again?"

"Riku and I are going out tonight, but I talked to him about it and he said it would be really cool if you came too," She explained happily, "He said he really wants to meet you!"

I laughed nervously; my other hand was still in my hair, "W-why would he want to meet me?"

"Because I told him about how awesome you are, duh." She paused for a minute, probably to tug on her hair. "Um...is your dad okay?"

"Er, yeah. I just talked to him this morning. The cast's a little itchy but other than that he's fine."

Naminé giggled. "That's good to hear. So...do you wanna come out tonight?" She then added in a slightly quieter voice, "I'd love it if you could."

I could feel the guilt flooding my lungs, and I clamped my eyes shut. "Yeah. I'll come." When she yipped for joy I inhaled slowly to ease the tension squeezing my stomach. "What are we doing tonight, exactly?"

"Nothing major - probably just dinner. I'll give you the directions." After telling me where to go she let out a high, airy laugh. "Ah, I'm so excited. I get to see my two favourite people tonight!"

A lump formed in my throat. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it'll be fun. So...what time do you want me to meet you there?"

"Does seven sound okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I guess I'll see you at seven."

"Yep," I could hear the smile in her voice, "See you, Roxas!"

When she hung up I stared at my phone for a good five minutes. I've third-wheeled many times before with Axel and his kajillion 'girlfriends' in the past, but this...this was gonna be different, I know it will be.

My jealousy was bad enough when Riku _wasn't_ around...and that time when I spied on them on the theatre...I almost lost it! How bad was it gonna be now that I was gonna interact with the guy face-to-face?

I lowered the rest of my body onto the mattress and closed my eyes, groaning in defeat. I was going to experience Riku's perfection head-on tonight. Was I ready for this? Was I ready to see just why Naminé found him so much better than me?

My phone was still in my hand. I wanted to call someone, talk to someone...but I didn't know who. Axel was busy getting over his hangover, and now I know that he has a way bigger problem to take care of at the moment I figured bothering him with more Naminé-related stuff wouldn't exactly help him right now. Sora's busy with his family today…

A lightbulb flickered in my head. I dialed quickly and held my phone up to my ear.

"Hello?" My oldest brother answered after the second ring.

"Ven," I breathed, "I need to talk to you."

He chuckled. "I didn't think you'd need my help so soon. Why, what's up?"

I thought about Axel, and I figured I should tell him now while I'm talking to him. "Well, first thing's first: Axel's gonna be a dad."

"Huh, interesting." He sounded awfully calm.

My eyes dulled. "How do you sound so calm?"

"I dunno...isn't that a good thing? He's gonna be a daddy. Was that why he got drunk the night before?"

"Well, it's actually more complicated than that-"

"Then I don't wanna hear any of it," My brother replied casually, "If he wants to tell me, then that's cool, but for now let's just leave it at the _Axel's gonna be a dad_ part. I'd rather keep the story happy."

I sighed. Ven never was the type to take part in gossip - I mean, I never was either but my brother was one of Axel's closest friends. I figured he would've wanted to know. "Alright, fine…"

"So...you said you needed to talk to me?"

"Oh right - um, Naminé asked me to hang out with her tonight."

"That's good."

"Not really," My hand moved to the back of my hair, "Riku's gonna be there."

Ven let out a low whistle. "Ah, so you're stuck as the third wheel."

I hung my head. "Yeah."

"Well, why did you even agree to hang out in the first place? You know it's okay to say no."

"I know, but...I can't say no to her! I don't know why-"

"You must be head over heels for this chick, eh Roxas?" My brother chuckled, and my face flushed red. "Well, I guess there really isn't anything you can do at this point but suck it up and go with the flow."

My fingers shifted through my hair. "Is...is he really as cool as everyone says he is…?"

"To be honest with you, bro...yes, yes he is that cool." My heart sunk as he laughed. "You should at least have a vague idea, since you've met him at the art gallery. Naminé probably talks about him nonstop too."

"Don't remind me."

"Sorry. Well, you made your bed Rox - it's time to lie in it. Just try to have fun, alright?"

I frowned. "I'll try. Thanks."

Well, that conversation didn't help one bit. I groaned again and rolled onto my stomach, grabbing a pillow and shoving it on top of my head. Why didn't I say no...why didn't I make up some kind of stupid excuse...

I somehow managed to get through the afternoon, but as the time edged closer and closer to when I had to meet Riku my pulse quickened and my worries increased. What was I going to do? I was going to look like a total dork in comparison to godlike Riku...Naminé would be ashamed to have me as a friend.

I changed into jeans, sneakers and a red, black, blue and white plaid flannel shirt. Before leaving my room I spotted the small blue paper crane sitting on top of my clock radio, and for some reason I gingerly took it into my hands and slipped it into my pocket.

I absently rolled the sleeves up to my elbows as I trudged to the front door, and when I dragged my feet down the hallway my fingers unconsciously fumbled with my collar. I didn't turn on the radio when I languidly clambered into the car.

The restaurant was in a nice location, right on the edge of the city next to the water. It had an outdoor patio with strings of lights crisscrossing overhead, and catchy rock music was playing from the speakers. I spotted Riku and Naminé immediately; they were both wearing a light, creamy turquoise. I wondered if that was planned.

"Roxas!" Naminé bounded from her chair and I caught her just as she flung herself towards me. She grinned up at me and I tried my best to smile for her. "You made it."

'Yeah," I gulped as she grabbed my wrist and pulled me over to the table Riku was sitting, "Uh, this is a pretty nice place. Has a nice view."

"I know, right?" She beamed as she sat beside Riku; I awkwardly took my seat across from them, "Anyways, Riku...meet Roxas. Roxas, meet Riku."

Riku stood up, and so did I; he was only a few inches taller than I was...maybe around Ven's height. He extended his hand and I took it wordlessly; I could feel the callouses from where he probably spent long hours with a paintbrush or whatever stuck between his fingers. "It's so nice to finally meet you," He flashed me a million-dollar smile, and I suppressed the urge to cower, "I've heard a lot about you, Roxas."

I brushed off my jeans as I lowered back into my seat. "I-I've heard...heard a lot about you too. I-it's nice to finally meet you...t-too." Ugh, I sounded so stupid. Naminé was silently giggling behind her hand, and I was pretty sure she was laughing at me. "So...you and Naminé, eh?" I didn't mean for that to sound bitter, but I guess I couldn't help it.

Both Riku and Naminé blushed slightly. "It's funny how things work out," He laughed a bell-tone laugh and reached for Naminé's hand, which was resting on top of the table. I tried not to notice the way their fingers weaved perfectly together, "I guess everything really does happen for a reason, huh?"

So he was into the cheesy stuff too. "I guess." I gave them a faint smile, and when they squeezed each other's hands I awkwardly cleared my throat. "So...have you guys been here before?"

"Yeah," Naminé smiled as she let go of Riku's hand to reach for the menu, "It's one of the first places we went to when we started going out. The food here is great."

_Going out. _They were _going out._ Did that mean their relationship was official? Were they legitimately _boyfriend and girlfriend?_

Naminé never called Riku her _boyfriend_ before...and she still hasn't referred to him as her boyfriend - yet right at that moment she said they were _going out._ Did that have any significant meaning?

I'm over-thinking this, aren't I?

I took a menu and browsed through it just for the sake of having something different to look at rather than the couple sitting in front of me. "Hm, everything _does_ sound appetizing."

Naminé stood up and smoothed out her skirt. "I'll be right back - gotta use the bathroom." She skipped off to enter the restaurant, and I was left with the god himself.

Riku was slightly hunched over, perusing the menu. The wind swept through his long silvery hair, and his turquoise golf shirt was just as vivid as his turquoise eyes…

Okay, let's _not_ fall in love with the guy…

"Y'know, Roxas," He straightened up and cleared the bangs away from his eyes, "You look very familiar."

I gulped. Uh oh… "P-pardon?"

He laughed another perfect laugh. "Have we met before? I swear I've seen you somewhere…"

The lump in my throat grew larger, and it was getting difficult to swallow. "I-I don't think w-we've-"

"What did you say your last name was? Did you even say what it was? I can't recall." He gave me an apologetic smile.

"A-Atsumori," I stuttered, "My last name's Roxas - I mean, my full name's Roxas Atsumori."

_"Atsumori!"_ He exclaimed, and my eyes widened in fear, "No wonder you look so familiar! You're Sora's brother, aren't you? His twin?"

I wasn't sure whether it was right to feel relieved or even more frightened. "Y-yeah, he's my brother."

He chuckled and shook his head, his silvery tendrils of hair flowing gracefully around his chiseled face - no, I don't have a crush on him...I'm just describing his perfection. "Why haven't we spoken before? I've known him since college and we keep in touch, yet I've never met the rest of his family!"

I chuckled sadly and ruffled my hair. "I have no idea. He mentioned you briefly once, I think."

"Briefly?" He scoffed jokingly, "Huh, some friend he is." We both laughed - mine forced, his genuine. "He's a good guy, your brother. I see him every Sunday."

"I know - I babysit his kids while you're off having fun."

"Oh, so _you're_ the one who looks after the tykes," Riku laughed again, "Miyo and Koji...they're adorable. Koji's exactly like his dad - it's kind of scary."

"He really is," I agreed as I closed my menu, "He can be a handful but he's a good kid overall - and Miyo's a sweetheart."

"Just like her mom." Riku closed his menu and flicked his bangs away again. "You're a very lucky guy, Roxas."

I blinked, confused. "H-how?"

He winked just as Naminé came back. "Did you guys order yet?" She asked as she returned to her seat; she reached for Riku's hand again, and they entwined their fingers.

"Not yet. We wanted to wait for you. Say," He turned towards her and when she gave him an adoring smile my heart clenched together, "Did you know one of my closest friends just happened to be Roxas' twin brother? We just found that out right before you came back!"

Naminé's head immediately snapped towards me. "Why didn't you tell me Sora was Riku's best friend?"

"Er," I reached for my hair, "I-"

"Then…" Naminé returned her attention to Riku; she reached for his other hand and glanced up at him, "It _must_ be fate." She sighed dreamily, and Riku laughed as she moved to rest her head against his shoulder.

For some reason this reminded me of one of Naminé's dumb Korean dramas. It must've been the cheesiness.

We eventually ordered our food and ate while chatting casually, but the entire time I was getting to know Riku I couldn't stop thinking about what he told me.

_"You're a very lucky guy, Roxas."_

What did he mean by that? There were so many possibilities…

"It was really great meeting you, Roxas," Somehow we ended up in the parking lot; Riku shook my hand and I shook his half-heartedly, "I hope we hang out again soon. This was fun."

I smiled vaguely. "Y-yeah, it was."

Naminé was hugging Riku's arm. "I'll be waiting for you tomorrow, Roxas."

I gave them a small wave as I headed to my car. It was hard driving back since I was in a complete daze; I could barely remember leaving my car and riding the elevator all the way up to my apartment. When I finally reached my room I sat on the edge of my bed for a very long time. I pulled out the paper crane from my pocket and fiddled with it in between my fingers. It was still perfect and intact.

_"You're a very lucky guy, Roxas."_

I pictured their joined hands on top of the table. I remembered the way Naminé's face lit up when he looked at her. I envisioned the way she held on tightly to his arm before we said goodbye.

_"You're a very lucky guy, Roxas."_

Was I really so lucky?

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _I Want Your Girlfriend To Be My Girlfriend _by Reel Big Fish._

_Some of the music I pictured playing in the restaurant: _Hero/Heroine _by _Boys Like Girls, Semi-Charmed Life _by _Third Eye Blind, Cliff Diving _by _(+44) _and _Kiss Me _by _New Found Glory.

_Thank you to all who have read, reviewed, favourited and alerted this story so far! I love you all =)_


	20. My Words Never Came Out Right

**My Words Never Came Out Right.**

I don't get how some people see love as a science.

With science you only have facts, problems, definitions and formulas. Everything is exact. Precise. Once you find the answer there's not much else you can do.

I personally don't think love is a science.

I think it's a philosophy.

I think it's a philosophy because when you _think_ you've found the answer a billion more come out of nowhere, and then you suddenly feel like you haven't made as much progress as you thought.

I think it's a philosophy because once you're fallen into its trap you start thinking. You start thinking _a lot._ You over-think everything, over-analyze everything. Everything becomes a question to you, and even though you're tired of asking yourself the same questions over and over again you strive to find the answers.

And sometimes you never find those answers, so you spend the rest of your life searching for them.

I have a feeling I'm going to end up like that.

_"You're a very lucky guy, Roxas."_ Riku's voice was echoing in my head as I drove to Naminé's on Sunday morning. _"You're a very lucky guy, Roxas."_

What the hell did he possibly mean by that?

Maybe he was trying to give me a self-esteem boost. False hope. Maybe he was trying to bring me up so he could break me down when he and Naminé finally make their relationship official. Maybe he was pretending to act like a good guy so he can be a real jerk later when he _really _becomes Naminé's boyfriend.

"You're thinking again." Naminé's voice brought me back to reality; I turned to my right and found her sitting in the passenger's seat. How did I drive all this way without dying in a freak accident? "I thought you said you were gonna try and not think about it so much."

"Sorry," I ruffled my hair when she frowned in disappointment, "I...well, it's harder than it sounds."

She touched my shoulder, and I sucked in a breath. "I know...but you have to try your best. When you're sad it makes me sad too."

"I know," I turned around so she could take her hand off my shoulder, and I turned my key so the car would start, "I'll try harder, I promise."

I could hear the grin in her voice. "Good." When I turned the corner she spoke up again. "Do you wanna go out for a walk later? It's nice today."

When I stopped at a red light I turned to her and smiled the best I could. "Yeah, I would like that." Her face lit up, but it wasn't as bright as it was when she looked at Riku last night.

I'm never going to be able to compete with him. I'm no match for Riku.

Maybe I'm just running around in circles. Maybe I'm not even chasing anything.

So why am I still running?

"Roxas!" Naminé hollered indignantly, and when I looked up I noticed we were already parked underneath my apartment. I slowly turned towards her and winced at her frustrated expression. "You _just_ promised me you were gonna try harder!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I muttered as we climbed out of my car, "Okay, I'll try harder starting…now."

She sighed. "How did we end up getting here in one piece? I was trying to start a conversation with you the entire ride but you just kept staring forward like some kind of robot." I was about to walk towards the elevator when she stepped in front of me. "You worry me, you know."

The guilt pushed against my chest and I swallowed slowly. "It's not like I mean to-"

"But you're making me worry anyway," She interrupted while narrowing her eyes, "And you have _no_ idea how bad it gets sometimes."

My eyes widened slightly. "B-bad?"

"Yes," She retorted as we resumed our walk to the elevator, "Some...sometimes I can't sleep because I think about you and how sad you look. At work you look less than half-alive and you don't know how bad it makes me feel," She pressed the 'up' button and threw her eyes to her flipflops, "A-and...the fact that I can't do anything to make you feel better just makes me feel so useless."

The guilt was enough to kill me. We stepped into the elevator and I sucked in a breath. I could feel the tension hovering over our heads but I didn't want it to be there. I wanted to make it go away somehow...but how could I do that?

"Naminé," I called her name softly, and when she looked up with me with melancholy eyes I suppressed the urge to cringe, "You're not useless. Don't _ever_ think you're useless. Y-you're...you're very important to me," My heartbeat was racing and my palms were growing clammy, "Even though I don't really show it...it's true. You mean so much to me, and you have no idea how much you've helped me in the months we've been friends. I...I felt like you opened my eyes more to...t-to a lot of things. Before I met you I was stubborn and immature-"

"You're still stubborn, you know." She sniffled as if she was holding back tears, but she was giving me an impish grin and it made me feel a little better.

"Okay _just_ immature, then," I corrected myself for her and her smile broadened by just a fraction, "And...well, now that we're friends I feel like everything I've known before was just me refusing to look at things from another perspective...if that makes any sense. I feel like you helped me to see things from different angles."

If I felt a little braver I would've confessed _everything_ I felt about her, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. In sense I was confessing...just in a very indirect way.

She sniffled again - I could see the tears clinging to her eyelashes - and let out a watery laugh. "Oh, Roxas," She approached me as the elevator doors slid open, "You make me so happy."She encircled her arms around my waist and pulled me towards her, burying her face into my shoulder.

_ You make me so happy._

Was that something worth over-thinking? Should I be over-analyzing that?

I laughed as I shuffled the both of us out of the elevator. "Naminé," I murmured into her hair as I squeezed her, "It's a little hard to walk like this."

When she pulled away from me her cheeks were tinged pink. "Sorry." She grabbed my arm and dragged me down the hallway. When I fumbled with my keys she rested the side of her head against the doorframe. "Y'know...I really meant it when I said you make me happy."

I felt warm for some reason. "I know." I smiled as I led her inside my apartment. I watched her skip over to the kitchen and I shook my head amusedly. My fingers absently ran along the shoulder of my shirt, and when I came across wet fabric I immediately looked down and raised an eyebrow.

So she really was crying…

As she was busying herself in the kitchen I rubbed the back of my head. I heard her popping bread into the toaster as I approached her slowly. "I didn't know I make you happy." I admitted quietly.

"Of course you do, Roxas," Her back was still turned to me, "Why wouldn't you make me happy? You're my best friend."

The term _best friend_ made me cringe. "I know but...now that I know I'm worrying you and stuff...it makes me feel bad."

She finally turned around and placed her small hands on my shoulders. "Well, the worrying would cease if you told me what's going on."

"I already told you I can't."

She frowned. "Not even one little detail?"

I reached for her wrists and pulled her hands off of me. There had to be _something_ I could tell her. I didn't want to leave her in the dark, but at the same time if I told her anything I'd blow my cover. What was I supposed to do?

Was there something I was supposed to tell her…?

"Well," I spun her around so that she was facing the counter, "I guess I could tell you _one_ thing…"

She glanced over her shoulder. "Yes?"

I reached for the butter knife that was stuck in the Nutella jar and placed it in her hand. "Er...well, I figured out what's going on between Axel and Larxene." I reached for the loaf of bread.

Her platinum blonde head tilted to the side. "And…?"

Well, Axel _did_ say I could tell her. I sucked in a breath. "Erm, Larxene's pregnant."

Naminé nearly dropped the knife. "What?"

I laughed a little sadly as I took the knife from her and continued to spread the Nutella. "You heard me."

I caught her tugging on that little piece of hair near the back of her head from the corner of my eye. "Wow. I wasn't expecting that."

"Believe me, I wasn't either."

She tugged a little harder. "So...what's gonna happen now?"

I screwed the Nutella cap shut and dropped the knife into the sink. "Axel said Xemnas is gonna let Larxene work until the last three months or something-"

"So they're keeping the baby?"

"Yeah, but thing is…" I rumpled my hair as I opened my pantry to return the Nutella to its rightful place, "Larxene isn't talking to Axel."

Naminé grabbed the saucers of toast and moved to the kitchen table. "That sounds like something she would do."

I sat across from her; her face was pensive as she stared down at her toast. "Yeah...but I told Axel to try talking to her this weekend. I hope he's gotten through."

My shorter companion chewed thoughtfully. "Mm, yeah." She swallowed and smiled at me. "Y'know, I think their baby's gonna be really cute."

I raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Well, I'm just trying to mash Larxene and Axel's features together in my head," She scrunched her forehead and squinted a little as if she was trying to solve a difficult puzzle, "And...I think their genes will mix well."

I chuckled and shook my head. "You're so strange."

She giggled. "Well, you're teasing me again - that's a sure sign you're returning to your old self. See how much better it feels when you talk to someone about stuff?" Her eyes lowered to her glass of milk. "I know it's been hard for you lately...and that thing with your dad probably made things worse but…" She bit her bottom lip and peered up at me beneath those black eyelashes of hers, "You know that I'll always be here for you, right? Even if you don't want to talk about it...I'll be here."

That warm feeling returned to me. "I know you will be." I replied softly just as the door rang. As we both stood up I turned towards her. "Oh...before I forget - um, Axel's younger brother's getting married-"

Her eyes lit up as we walked to the front door together. "Oh, really? That's exciting!"

"Yeah, and I was invited...but I'm allowed to bring a guest." I forced the lump down my throat. "Er, I was wondering if you wanted to come w-with me - I mean, if you don't want to t-that's okay...b-but the wedding isn't until next summer so you have loads of time to decide-"

"I'd love to go with you." She placed a hand on my arm and smiled at me before unlocking the door, and my nerves suddenly exploded.

"Really? You'll...y-you'll come with me?" I gaped at her.

My blonde friend giggled at my stupidity. "Of course I will. Anything for a friend - a _best_ friend."

Ouch. That killed it.

I spent most of the morning watching silently as Naminé played with my niece and nephew. I smiled a little as they laughed together, though at the same time I couldn't help but feeling sad on the inside.

Was that all I really was to her? A _best friend?_

As she hoisted Miyo over her head I thought back to our conversation before Sora dropped his kids off and I dissected every sentence, every word, every letter. Was there anything in that conversation, that moment we had alone that hinted at something more than just a close friendship? Was I missing something? Was she waiting for me to realize her true intentions?

Or was my habit of over-thinking things giving me false hope like it always did?

"Y'know," Her low voice snapped me out of concentration; we were sitting in my television room and the kids were gone, "I'm _this_ close to wringing your neck." She slowly reached for my neck, and when I gulped and backed away she sighed and shook her head. "Roxas…"

This was getting worse, and the worse I was getting the more worried Naminé was getting over me. It was a horrible sort of chain reaction. "C'mon," I reached for her hand and pulled her up from the couch, "Maybe some fresh air will do some good."

"If it works I'm gonna lock you out of your house and make sure you inhale a _week's_ worth of fresh air." My shorter companion muttered as I led her out the door.

Before Naminé I used to think all girls were the same. I used to think they all shared the same thought process, outlooks on life, interests and all that stuff. I guess it was because most of the girls Axel set me up with were kind of similar.

As I watched her skip around the sidewalk I realized that on first impression she didn't even _seem_ like an ordinary girl. Even at first glance you could tell she was something else.

Or maybe you're like me - you _knew_ she was something else but didn't realize it until later on...when it was too late.

We walked down the street - Naminé was a little ahead of me because things like shop display windows, signs with interesting phrases, colourful flowers, shiny cars and chirping birds would catch her attention and she would run up to investigate them - and I noticed how the world would stop and stare at her. People passing by would give her a quick glance, and I could tell from the looks on their faces that it wasn't out of disgust or annoyance or anything - they were _fascinated._ I could see the light in their eyes as they glanced over their shoulders to peek at the quirky blonde peering into the bookshop window. When the corners of their mouths twitched upwards as she dragged me into the ice cream store I knew it wasn't because they were inwardly making fun of her - they were admiring her.

We reached our usual park, and I continued to pay attention to my surroundings. When we approached a small bridge she leaned so far over the edge her feet lifted off the floor. She was awing at the fish squirming around in the water below. The fish, who were mindlessly circling each other just seconds before Naminé arrived, immediately looked upwards to greet the blonde who was sticking out halfway from the bridge to greet them. I swear some even poked their little heads out of the water just to see.

Even the damn fish knew she was special.

"What are you doing?" I chuckled as I inched towards her; I scooped a spoonful of sea-salt ice cream into my mouth, "You're gonna fall in."

"Look, Roxas," She giggled, pointing towards the group of fish, "They want to say hello." She waved at the fish before pulling herself away from the edge of the bridge. Phew.

I shook my head in amusement. "Sometimes I wonder how old you really are."

She puffed her cheeks and placed her hands on her hips. "Hey, you clearly saw that they wanted to have a conversation!"

I rolled my eyes and reached for her wrist. "All of that Nutella must do something with your brain, I swear..."

She yanked herself out of my grasp. "Not funny."

I turned around and raised a hand to my hair. "Sorry." When she giggled I rolled my eyes again. "Why must you always do this to me?"

Her hair swished a little as she tilted her head to the side. "Do what?"

I hung my head. "Confuse me."

"I don't understand." Her voice was a little quieter now.

I let out a bitter laugh and threw my hands in the air. "To be honest with you, Naminé, I don't understand either." I shook my head and frustratingly ran my fingers through my hair. "Sometimes I feel like I know you, and sometimes...sometimes…" I hung my head, "I don't even know."

I could hear her footsteps. Seconds later I felt her hand against my cheek; she tilted my head upwards so that I was looking in her eyes. I was so scared I nearly dropped my ice cream. "Is this what you've been worrying about?" She asked softly; her eyes were unreadable, and I hated it.

I wanted to be able to read her. I wanted to know what she was thinking right now, at this exact moment. I wanted to know what was going through her head. I wanted to know why she was caressing my face with her hand like she loved _me_ and not someone else - someone who was clearly more suitable for her.

I wanted to know if she was hiding something from me just like how I was hiding something from her.

But at the same time...I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the answer.

I really do think I'm bipolar.

A weak mewl scared us apart, and I leaned against the railing of the bridge for support. My heart was thudding painfully, and my cheek was still warm from her touch. "W-what was that?" I wheezed as I tried to catch my breath. The effect Naminé had on me...it was enough to kill me, I swear.

"I don't know," She was looking left and right, "But it sounded like a cat." The quiet mewling resumed again, and the both of us looked at each other quizzically. "It sounds like it's hurt, Roxas."

I was a little disappointed our conversation had to be cut short because of some animal, but at the same time I was relieved. I wasn't ready for this. I wasn't ready to tell her just yet.

But how much time did I have left before it was too late? Maybe it was already too late.

I felt Naminé slip her hand into mine, and my heart felt like it was getting electrocuted. Why was she doing this to me? "C'mon, I think it's coming from over there."

My throat felt like it was closing. I couldn't stop thinking about what would've happened if that cat or whatever it was didn't interrupt us. I couldn't stop wondering why the sound of an animal was more important than the issue we were discussing. "N-Naminé-" I moaned; my voice was hoarse, like I was about to cry. Was I going to cry? I wasn't so sure. It sure felt like it. I had every reason to, anyway.

I mean, as of right now a cat was more important to her than me.

I was always going to be second-rate to her.

And I was _this_ close to admitting everything...

"Oh," Naminé's voice pulled me back to reality; she let go of my hand and scrambled over to a tree just a few feet away, "It _was_ a cat - a kitten. Look, Roxas - he hurt his paw."

I pushed my sad thoughts away and knelt by her side. A tiny white kitten - it looked nothing more than a few weeks old - was curled up by the foot of the tree, its large blue-grey eyes glistening with fear. Its left front paw was pressed against its furry white chest, as if the kitten was trying to protect it from something. My heart sank at the sight of the small animal; it did look like it was in pain.

When Naminé reached for the kitten my eyes widened. "What are you doing? It might have some kind of disease!"

The kitten fearfully shrunk against the tree trunk, but Naminé insisted and gathered the small animal in her arms. "I'm not going to leave him here," She protested as we stood up to full height; the kitten seemed to like her immediately (surprise, surprise) because it snuggled deeper into her embrace and closed its eyes, "Give him some of your ice cream. He might be hungry."

"Cats eat ice cream?"

"Well, they drink milk. Ice cream isn't that different." She grabbed the spoon from my ice cream cup and inched it closer towards the kitten's mouth. "Here, try some. It's really good." The miniscule animal shyly licked some of the ice cream, and when it decided that Naminé really was telling the truth it licked the spoon some more. My blonde companion jostled the cat in her arms and giggled. "See, I told you."

I wrinkled my nose. "You're not gonna take that home...are you?"

She narrowed her eyes at me. "No, not yet - I'm taking him to yours first." She began to walk out of the park, and I had no choice but to follow her.

It was like our conversation from a few minutes ago never happened - at least to her.

Was I that unimportant?

Ugh, I can't believe I'm getting jealous because of a stupid _cat._

When we returned to my place Naminé gave her new friend a bath in the kitchen sink _(my_ kitchen sink…) and some warm milk in a bowl _(my_ bowl…). We watched him (I decided to see for myself if the thing really was a boy, and Naminé was right after all) happily lap the milk into his small mouth, and when he was done he flipped his tongue upwards to lick his pink nose.

"Gah, he's so cute," Naminé cradled the small kitten in her arms and tickled his tummy; the cat meowed lovingly and nuzzled his head against her shoulder, "He needs a name."

I rolled my eyes and leaned against the side of the couch. "You need to take him to the vet, you know."

"I know that," She rolled her eyes as the kitten reached upwards to paw her hair, "His paw needs to be checked out, anyway. Hm…" She squeezed her eyebrows together in concentration, "What's a good name for a cat…"

I closed my eyes and let myself drift off for a moment. I still couldn't stop thinking about our conversation on the bridge. I wanted to bring it up again...but how could I without making things awkward?

"Hey!" I opened my eyes and noticed that the kitten had somehow jumped out of Naminé's arms and onto the coffee table, where my cup of half-finished (and nearly melted) sea-salt ice cream was sitting.

I chuckled as I watched the small animal devour the rest of my ice cream. "He really likes it, doesn't he?" The cat practically shoved his whole head inside the pink-and-white striped paper cup. "I guess it's his favourite flavour."

Naminé pulled the kitten out of the cup and wiped his face with a napkin. The cat mewled and reached for the ice cream, but my shorter companion shook my head. "That's enough for you, mister," She scolded playfully, tapping his nose with an index finger. Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she glanced in my direction. "That's it!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

She held the kitten up at arms' length and grinned at him. "From now on you shall be known as...Salty."

My eyes dulled. "You're gonna name him _Salty…?"_

"Yep," She smiled at me before cuddling Salty against her chest, "I think he likes it. Do you like your new name, Salty?" When the kitten mewled in agreement she laughed. "See, told you!"

I leaned into my palm and rolled my eyes. I feel like everybody I know - family, friends and now _animals_ - is insane.

"Can you come with me to the vet tomorrow after work?" Naminé asked as she stood up; I guess she wanted to go home and coddle her newfound love, "I think Salty wants you to be there."

I ruffled my hair as I reached for my car keys. "Yeah, sure."

The entire car ride to Naminé's house was defined by one word: _distracting._ Salty kept pouncing out of Naminé's lap and onto mine, and he even managed to climb over my head and cover my eyes at least twice. He was pretty able-bodied despite the fact that one of his paws were injured. What a resilient little guy.

I wish I had his determination.

I guess I can see why Naminé would never want to be with a guy like me - I'm comparing myself to a freaking _cat_ for Pete's sake…

"Oh!" As Naminé stepped out of my car with Salty in her arms she whirled around and poked her head backinside, "I forgot to tell you - Riku's having a party this weekend and he wanted me to invite you. He's inviting everyone, actually."

A party? Okay, there _had_ be some kind of special occasion for this… "Um, oh...that's...that's nice of him." I ruffled my hair and tried to avoid Naminé's eyes. "I...I guess I'll get back to you on that. I'm...I think I can go...but I'll have to double-check."

For some reason Ven's voice popped into my head:

_"You know it's okay to say no."_

But I couldn't say no...I could never say no to her.

Wait...did she say Riku was inviting _everyone?_

"That sounds good," She smiled, "Well, I guess Salty and I will be seeing you tomorrow!" She skipped away from my car and to her front door, and I sat confusedly in the driver's seat.

The moment Naminé closed her door my phone began to vibrate. I glanced at the caller ID and groaned at Axel's name blinking almost tauntingly up at me.

I knew it.

I freaking knew it.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: Andrew Belle - _All Those Pretty Lights.

_I don't know why I decided to throw a cat in there. I figured Salty would add some interesting new opportunities for the storyline =)_

_Merci beaucoup to all of those who have read and reviewed this story and supported me so far! You guys are all awesome!_


	21. This Thing That Breaks My Heart

**This Thing That Breaks My Heart.**

"I don't know why you're panicking," Axel muttered over the phone, "Ven _did_ say he was willing to help out again."

"I know," I sighed as I barged into my apartment, "But this is different - the _both _of us are gonna be there at the same time."

"So?"

I groaned. "Wouldn't it be easier for people to tell us apart? Even with the disguise he'll still look somewhat like me! Naminé and Riku aren't stupid!"

"Geez, Roxas," My male best friend chuckled, "You sound a little riled up. Having more lady troubles than usual?"

I don't know how Axel managed to read my mind when I wasn't even in the same room as him. I sighed into the phone and plopped down on my couch, throwing my head back and closing my eyes. "I don't know what happened to me today."

"What are you talking about?"

"Naminé knows something's been bothering me lately," I groaned again, "And she keeps asking me what's wrong but I obviously can't tell her...yet at the same time I don't want to keep lying to her."

"So why don't you just tell her the truth?"

"Because I can't tell her the truth!" I yelled into my phone, "Axel, don't you understand what's going on here? She loves _someone else,_ and even if she didn't there's no way in hell she'd want to go out with a guy like me-"

"Here we go again…" I could picture Axel rolling his eyes, and it made me even angrier.

"Look at it this way, Axel: Naminé said Riku's inviting _everyone_ to this party. People only throw big parties for special occasions. There's gotta be a reason why he wants me to come - I mean...we've only met once. That's not enough to even establish our relationship as acquaintances!"

"I guess you have a point there," The redhead replied, "But why is this making you weirder than usual?"

"Isn't it obvious? This has gotta do something with the both of them - Riku _and_ Naminé." I shook my head and pulled my fingers through my hopeless hair. "Maybe they're engaged, or something-"

"Engaged? Seriously? C'mon, man, you can't be worrying about crap like that now! It's far too soon for an engagement party!"

"You'll never know," I mumbled pathetically, "I mean...Riku sorta just popped out of nowhere. Before we know it they'll be having their firstborn."

"Stop thinking like that! God, you're moodier than Larxene-"

I raised my head a little. "Oh, you're talking to her now?"

Axel paused for a moment. "Yeah...well, after at least two hours of trying to convince her that I was willing to support her she finally caved." He paused again. "But back to what we were talking about before - what the hell happened to you today?"

"I already told you - I don't know," I replied exasperatingly, "I just...I don't know. We were walking around the city and I just...I just came to the realization that I'm never going to be good enough for her."

"You always thought you were never going to be good enough for her."

"But this time I really know it's true. I'm convinced it's the truth," I protested, "When it's just the both of us everything's perfect, but if you add something...or someone into the picture I lose her. I'll never be the centre of her attention. I'll never be something she'll _revolve_ around - no matter what I'll always just be the best friend." I sighed in defeat. "Second-best."

"What exactly made you come to this conclusion?" Axel asked skeptically, as if he already knew I was going to reply with something stupid.

I thought about Salty, and my heart clenched together. I still didn't know why I was getting so worked up over a damn kitten. "Well, Naminé and I found a stray cat in the park-"

"A _cat?"_ Axel screeched, just like I expected him to, "A _cat?_ You drew all of this crap from a CAT?"

"Let me finish!" I hollered back, "Anyways, before we found Salty-"

"Salty?"

"That's what she named him-"

"Oh, Jesus-"

"Before we found him we were talking...and...I almost told her. I almost told her everything, Axel."

"Told her what?"

"That I love her, stupid," My throat was aching for some reason, "I almost told her that I was in love with her and I hated how I found out so late. I wanted to tell her how much I hated Riku for taking her away from me."

"And what does this cat have to do anything with this…?"

"I probably would've told her anything if the cat _didn't_ interrupt us," I muttered, "Just when I was about to tell her everything it makes a noise, and she gets distracted. For the rest of the day all she could focus on was the damn cat," I sighed defeatedly, "It was like our conversation never happened in the first place."

"Huh, I guess that's pretty bad. I thought it was hard enough with Riku, but the fact that she favours a cat over you...hm…"

My eyes narrowed. "You're not helping."

"Sorry. Why don't you call Ven and tell him about the party? It'll probably be more productive than just moping around and crying about how she'll never be yours-"

_"Still_ not helping!"

"Okay, okay. Just call Ven. Later." When Axel hung up I glared at my phone for a second, but my frustration disappeared soon afterward and I shook my head. I dragged myself into my room and sat on the edge of my bed, my eyes slowly sliding towards the tiny blue paper crane sitting on my nightstand.

I'm pretty sure Axel and the others were fed up with my constant whining, but I didn't know what to do anymore. A part of me wanted to give up, to accept the fact that Naminé and I were never meant to be...but another part of me wanted to keep going. It wanted me to endure this suffering for just a bit longer...because for some reason it hoped that it would all pay off in the end.

I languidly dialed Ven's number while absently playing with the paper crane in my free hand. "Hey bro," My oldest brother happily greeted me after three rings, "What's up?"

"Um, Riku's having a party this weekend and he invited me...but there's a problem."

"What is it?"

"He invited...er, _Ventus_ too."

My brother let out a low whistle. "Hm...that is gonna be a problem. I'm busy this weekend, unfortunately."

My eyes widened. "What?"

"Yeah...a buddy of mine's moving this weekend and he needs help hauling his stuff around. Sorry, bro."

"No, no," I laughed even though my hand was pushing faster through my hair, "It's okay. I'll figure something out."

"I guess either you or Ventus will have to call in sick, or something."

I scratched the side of my head. "Wouldn't that be kinda suspicious?"

"S'not like you have much of a choice, Rox."

"You're right," I admitted, "I...I guess I'll have to figure it out somehow. Thanks anyway, Ven."

"Sorry, Roxas. I'll make it up to you somehow."

I laughed a little sadly. "I'll take your word for it." When I canceled the call I continued to twiddle the paper crane in between my fingers. What was I supposed to do now?

I guess the only thing I really could do now was to call in sick, but either way I really did think Naminé will suspect something - or even Riku.

"Huh, that's perfect," Axel laughed darkly once I called him back and explained the situation, "Guess we're gonna have to wing this one."

"Wing it? How?"

"Go with your bro's plan. Call in sick or make up some dumb excuse. You're going to this shindig as Ventus."

I scratched my head confusedly. "Why-"

"I'm going with my gut here. Just do it." I heard a feminine voice complaining in the distance, and my redheaded friend heaved a sigh. "Well...duty calls. I'll see you tomorrow, bud."

"Was that Larxene?"

"Who else would it be?" Axel replied grimly, "She's been craving cantaloupe and mac and cheese the entire weekend! Ugh...pregnant women…" He mumbled a few incoherent words before hanging up, and I shook my head amusedly. Well, at least they were talking again.

I guess I was going to go through with Axel's gut and tell Naminé I couldn't make it to the party.

As if fate agreed with my decision I ran into her in the parking lot of our office building the next morning.

"Uh, hey... Naminé?" Her head raised a little so our eyes met; I swallowed nervously and reached to touch the elevator button, "Er, turns out I can't make it to Riku's after all."

Her head tilted to the side. "Why?"

"Erm," I stepped aside so she could enter the elevator first, "Sora's going to visit our dad...and he wanted me to come. I haven't been home in awhile so I figured this would be a good opportunity." I hung my head, the guilt swelling up inside of me. "I'm sorry...I knew you asked me before Sora did but-"

"Hey, don't worry about it," I looked up to see her sweet smile and my throat closed up, "Your dad's health comes first."

I tried smiling back for her. "Thanks...and tell Riku I'm sorry too." An idea popped into my head. "Speaking of Riku...um, do you know why he's throwing a party in the first place? It must be something if he's inviting a lot of people."

Excitement flashed in her eyes, and I began to grow worried. "To be honest with you, I don't know either," She laughed quietly to herself as if she was remembering some fond past memory, "Believe me, I've tried forcing the truth out of him but I've run out of ideas."

She tried bribing the truth out of him? How?

Only one thought came to mind, and it made me feel uncomfortably warm.

_She's not like that, _I chanted in my head, _She's not like that! She's innocent and sweet and kind. She's not like that!_

"Hm…" I raised a hand to my hair, "He's probably gonna make some sort of announcement at the party, then."

"I figured so," She shrugged, "But I wonder what it could be? I'm excited." The elevator doors slid open and I let her out first. "Oh, by the way - I think Salty misses you."

If it was something Riku was hiding from Naminé...what could it be?

When I realized I didn't answer Naminé's question yet I shook my head to snap myself back to reality. "Uh, what? H-how do you know?"

Her expression suddenly turned forlorn, and I frowned. "He was crying last night, and I tried comforting him," She tugged on her flick of hair, "But he wouldn't calm down until I told him we were going to see you today."

I smirked. "Are sure he misses me, or does he just miss the ice cream?"

My blonde companion giggled as we stopped in front of my office. "I'm pretty sure he misses you."

"Is it safe to leave him at home by himself?" I asked concernedly, "I mean, he's so small. He's too young to be on his own."

"Aw, look at you," She hit my shoulder playfully and I flushed, "So worried and whatnot." When I blushed harder she laughed. "Salty's stronger than he looks - trust me, he'll be fine on his own for a few hours. You're coming with me to the vet tonight, right?"

"Yes, I said I was...wasn't I?"

The blonde giggled again. "Just making sure. I guess I'll come by after work-"

"As always." I finished for her, and she smiled bashfully before waving goodbye and walking away.

The morning passed by slowly. My brain felt like it was running in slow motion: I had a really hard time concentrating on my work, and even with a coffee or two I still felt sluggish and heavy. I think it was because of all the stress with Naminé and Riku that was making me feel like this.

Relationships are so damn complicated.

My glass door shuddered as it was violently pushed open, and my head snapped upwards to see an exhausted-looking Axel - he looked even more pooped than me, which was definitely saying something - dragging himself into my office.

"Um, hey." I greeted him cautiously as he slumped in one of the seats in front of my desk. "Geez, it's only been a couple days and you're already tired out?"

"You don't know what I've been going through this past weekend, buddy," Axel muttered acidly as he rubbed his tired eyes, "If you thought any regular woman was high-maintenance...try dealing with a freaking _pregnant _woman. God." I noticed the dark semi-circles underneath his eyes. "I want to kill myself."

I busily shuffled through my papers. "Your fault."

"Hey, I can't take _all_ of the blame." My male best friend shook his head and rumpled up his spikes. "I can't believe I have to put up with this for nine more months…"

I laughed. "Do you really think the trouble stops _once_ the baby's born? You know you gotta feed the kid, wake up in the middle of the night when it's crying, change its diapers when it-"

"Somebody sure knows a lot about parenting." Axel smirked, and I rolled my eyes.

"In case you've forgotten I have an infant niece and nephew." I returned my attention to my laptop. "Anyway...I told Naminé I can't make it on Friday. I guess I'm really going in as Ventus."

"Perfect," His smirk broadened into something much more mischievous-looking, "It's just gonna be me, you and Demyx that'll be going to this party, however. Larxene obviously can't go - well, I mean she _could_ go but with her being more annoying than usual she might give us away."

That last part sounded a bit strange to me, but I remembered how Axel and Larxene's relationship wasn't exactly a conventional one and I let it slide.

"That's fine," I shrugged, "I think it'll be less of a hassle anyway." I paused for a minute. "Erm...Naminé said she doesn't know why Riku's throwing this party either...but she has a feeling he's going to make some sort of an announcement."

The redhead chuckled. "See, I told you there was nothing to worry about! They're not getting engaged...psh-"

"But what if he's gonna propose to her or something?" I exclaimed anxiously, and my cheeks grew red when Axel laughed harder.

"There's no stopping you, is there?" He leaned across my desk to teasingly ruffle my hair, and I glared at him. "I better head back - either Larxene's gonna force me to go out and get her food or the boss man's gonna harass me with work. We'll talk about this later." He sauntered out of my office, still laughing, and I groaned and hit my forehead against my desk.

Axel was probably right, but that didn't mean it was enough to get me to stop worrying.

"Roxas?"

I glanced at the time on my laptop. Somehow I managed to get through the day. I didn't know exactly _how_ I managed to make time go by so fast...it was probably from all the thinking I was doing.

"Roxas!" Naminé's voice was a little louder now, and I twitched in my chair. She was standing on the opposite side of my desk with her hands on her hips. Uh oh. "C'mon, we're gonna be late for Salty's appointment!"

Huh? No lecture this time?

"Oh...right." I quickly packed my things and followed her out of the office. I was expecting some sort of lecture or a talking-to in the elevator but she remained quiet. Huh...I thought my whole staring-into-space thing irritated her.

Maybe our conversation before Salty interrupted us was significant to her after all…?

Then again, if it was she would've mentioned it.

"I'll meet you at my place." Her fingers brushed my sleeve before walking to her car. I rubbed the back of my head and stared at her back for a few seconds before shamefully walking to mine. For some reason I felt I lost a game, or something. I felt completely and utterly defeated and I had no idea why.

"Salty!" Naminé called as we stepped into the foyer of her house. She looked left and right as we slowly approached the kitchen. "Salty, where are you?"

A soft mewl emerged from the den. I followed my shorter companion into the room but the tiny white cat was nowhere to be found. Naminé tugged on her piece of hair. "Where in the world is he? I swear I heard him here..."

I noticed the heap of blankets lying on the couch and how it was moving like something was struggling underneath. "Er, Naminé," I flipped the blanket over and sure enough Salty was there, pawing at the soft material.

When he noticed the blanket was gone Salty looked up at me and blinked with wide eyes. His fur was a pure, snowy white and his nose and the interior of his ears were a bubble gum-pink. His tail swished slowly behind him. He let out a quiet meow and raised his paw towards me; the underside was also pink. I also noticed that Naminé had wrapped his injured paw with a strip of white bandage.

Okay, maybe he was a little cute…

I lifted him into my arms and clamped one eye shut when the small animal pressed his front paws against my chest and raised himself on his hind legs to lick my cheek. I heard Naminé giggle from beside me. "Aw, see - Salty did miss you."

"I'd rather not have him lick me until _after_ his vet appointment." I muttered as the kitten snuggled in my arms; I had to admit it felt kind of nice, "Let's go."

Salty behaved in the car this time, obediently sitting on Naminé's lap and occasionally turning his furry head to look out the window. The veterinarian's office was small but cozy; there were at least three other people in the waiting room...and I noticed how all of them happened to be young women around me and Naminé's age.

"Oh," One of them, a brunette, immediately scurried up to me and bent over the kitten purring in my arms; her dog was sitting by her chair, perplexed as to why its master suddenly abandoned it, "Your kitten is so cute!" Salty touched her cheek with his paw, and she giggled. "Aww, hello there!" She poked his nose, and the kitten shook his head slightly. "What's his name?"

"Um," I stared down, and the small animal looked up at me, "Salty." Right on cue he meowed, and the brunette squealed. The other two women who were in the waiting room - a redhead with a severely overweight cat and another brunette with...was that an iguana? - raised their heads at the sound and smiled.

"Salty...what a cute name! He's adorable," The woman gently petted Salty's head before looking up at me, "Almost just as adorable as his owner." She gave me a wink, and my collar suddenly felt too tight. The other two women laughed quietly to themselves.

I felt a hand on my upper arm; Naminé was dragging me over to the secretary's desk. "Roxas," She sounded like she was speaking through gritted teeth but I couldn't see since her back was turned to me, "We have to check Salty in."

"Oh, right." My blonde companion finally let go of my arm. Salty looked up at me questionably, and I shrugged my shoulders. "Beats me." I replied.

I felt her hand on my arm again; this time she was dragging me over to one of the seats. I noticed how we were sitting on the other side of the room - far away from the other three women. "We should be seeing the vet shortly," Naminé explained in a sort of clipped voice, "At least we won't have to wait too long. I'm guessing the others-" She shot a glare towards the three women on the other side of the room, "-didn't schedule an appointment like we did."

"Oh, that's good." I noticed how her body language appeared to be sort of defensive: her arms were crossed and her foot was tapping impatiently against the carpeted floor. Huh...weird. She wasn't like this before we came here…

I absently glanced around the room, and my eyes randomly fell on the brunette with the dog. She gave me a smile, and I tried smiling back but Naminé's voice caught my attention again.

"Hey, I think we're being called." She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me up, and my confusion only grew worse. Salty seemed to be confused too, since he was meowing and trying to reach for her.

Was she...jealous?

Part of me wanted to test this theory, but another part of me was afraid.

When we were ushered into the new room the vet was already there. Great...another attractive young woman. "Hello there," She absently brushed a few strands of blue hair from her eyes and adjusted her glasses; she bent over to address Salty and affectionately nudged his cheek with her knuckles, "And this must be Salty. I'm assuming you're his owners?" She straightened up and smiled warmly...in my direction only.

I swore I saw Naminé's eye twitch. "Yes, but he's living with me. Roxas and I found him together at the park just yesterday." This time I _knew_ she was speaking through gritted teeth because I could plainly see it.

"Hm," The blue-haired vet bent over Salty again, "I guess we should take a look. Do you mind?"

I handed Salty over to her, and thankfully he wasn't fussy about it. It seemed to make Naminé angrier though, because her eye-twitching became more noticeable. "N-no, not at all."

As the vet examined Salty I awkwardly stood with my back against the wall and my hands behind my back. Naminé was so close to me our shoulders were brushing, and I could literally _feel_ the negativity radiating off of her. It was scary.

"He's surprisingly healthy for a stray...and he appears to be really young, which makes his health even more remarkable," The vet turned around to face us and motioned to Salty, who was patiently sitting on the medical table with his head slightly tilted to the side (I assumed he was looking at Naminé because he looked a little confused), "He has to be a month at the oldest." She examined his paw and the hint of a frown tugged at the corners of her lips. "He seemed to have sprained his paw, however. It's a good thing you wrapped it up - it's the only thing you can really do besides wait for it to heal."

_"A month at the oldest? _He sure doesn't act like it," Naminé spoke up, and I was relieved she was beginning to sound like her regular self again, "He can be left alone for awhile and he'll be able to take care of himself. He's smart for a baby."

"It's probably because he's a stray," The vet shrugged as she picked him up and handed him over to my shorter friend, "Must've picked up some survival skills. Still, though - pretty impressive for a kitten his age." When Salty nuzzled his head against Naminé's shoulder and reached over to paw my arm the vet laughed. "He seems to love the both of you very much - he probably thinks you're his parents."

My eyes widened. "Parents?"

The blonde beside me giggled. "That makes sense. The other night he was crying because Roxas wasn't there." She tickled Salty's nose. "It's 'cause you missed your daddy, didn't you?" When the kitten meowed she laughed again. "I knew it!"

_Daddy? _Never in my life have I expected to be called by that name. It...it felt kind of nice, actually.

Especially when I knew Naminé was technically the 'mommy' in our...er, family.

I blinked wordlessly, and the vet laughed a second time. "Well, I'm glad he found a good home." She reached for her clipboard and tore out a sheet of paper. "He's going to need to come back in a couple of days for some immunization shots and a checkup on his paw, and he'll be all set." She handed me the paper, and I carefully folded it and pushed it into the inside pocket of my jacket.

"Sounds good," Naminé smiled, "I guess we'll be seeing you in a couple days."

"Er, thanks a lot...Doctor…" I squinted at the vet's ID tag, "Uetake."

"Aqua," The woman smiled kindly at me, "Aqua Uetake, and it was nice meeting you."

I was about to say goodbye but Naminé had already yanked me out of the room.

Geez, and I thought _my_ jealousy was bad.

She _was_ jealous...right? I mean, what other explanation was there?

Regardless, it gave me hope.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _And Darling _by Tegan and Sara._

_I added one or two new songs to the playlist, and I also included a picture of Salty =) Be sure to check it out - the link is posted on my profile!_

_Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, alerted and favourited this story!_


	22. A Little Too Far For Me To Reach

**A Little Too Far For Me To Reach.**

I never mustered up the courage to ask Naminé why she was behaving so strangely at the vet's office. I had a feeling if I asked her she wouldn't tell me anyway.

Oh well.

Friday was approaching, and I was growing more and more nervous. I really wanted to know what Riku was hiding from us. What could possibly be so important that he had to invite _me_ to the party so I could be informed? It _had_ to do something with Naminé...I just knew it. There had to be something involving her. Why else would he invite me?

And why would he invite Axel - I mean..._Jacques_ and _Ventus? _Even as our alter-egos Axel and I weren't exactly close with Riku. This had to be something big if he was willing to invite us.

Naminé seemed anxious about it too, which was perfectly understandable. Her boyfriend - or whatever he was to her - was hiding something from her. Anybody would be on-edge if they were in her situation.

"Do you think it has anything to do with me?" She asked me Wednesday evening. We were at my place, but before we headed over we stopped by Naminé's to take Salty to the vet for his shots and checkup. She seethed over Aqua - I mean _Doctor Uetake - _again, much to my confusion. I didn't get what there was to be so jealous over. I thought Doctor Uetake was a nice person.

"I dunno," I shrugged as I prepared Salty some dinner, "Maybe." I walked back into the television room and pushed a bowl of cat food over to our 'baby'. Salty sniffed it conspicuously before shrugging and digging in. "It's gotta be something big, though."

She pulled on her hair. "You think so?" She asked quietly as she watched Salty happily munch on his food.

I took my seat beside her on the couch and ruffled my hair. "I suppose so," I answered slowly, "I mean...it's gotta be something important if he's inviting a stranger like me."

She snorted. "You're no stranger, Roxas."

"To him, I am!"

She pulled harder on her hair. "Oh...that reminds me. Riku was talking to Sora the other day…"

My heart almost stopped. I almost forgot him and my brother were best friends. Oh no, this can't be good.

"He invited him to the party, and Sora said he could go." She turned to me. "I thought you said you were going to visit your dad?"

Crap, I should've called Sora the minute I found out about this stupid party! Why didn't I think of that before? Crap, crap, crap… "Uh," Even Salty momentarily paused his dinner to stare suspiciously at me, "He decided last-minute to go. I guess he really wanted to see what Riku's been hiding too."

She frowned, and I swear I saw Salty roll his eyes. "But...you're still not coming…?"

My neck began to grow hot, and I nervously tugged on my collar. "I already confirmed that I was going home for the day...I'm sorry, Naminé. I didn't know it meant so much to you if I went."

She shook her head. I couldn't help but notice how sad she looked, and it brought an ache to my chest. "No, no," She smiled, but it was still sad-looking, "You're entitled to your family. I can't interfere with that." She rubbed her upper arm and looked away, and I frowned. I didn't like this at all.

Salty mewled and crawled over to her, and she gave him a sad smile and pulled him onto her lap. "See," I chuckled in an attempt to lighten the mood, "Salty knows when his mommy's not okay." I tickled the fur behind his ears, and I smiled when he squirmed in delight.

My shorter companion laughed and shook her head. She leaned in to press her head against my shoulder, and I tried my best not to bury my face into her hair. "I don't know what's gotten over me lately."

_To be honest with you, _I mentally replied to her as I slowly wrapped my arms around her small body, _I don't know either…_ I closed my eyes against her and breathed in deep, _But I would really like to know._

"Riku said his French friends are going to be there," She spoke up, and I looked down at her, "Well, just Jacques and Mateo. The girl can't go."

I began to grow warm again. "Er...what about the other guy?"

"Ventus?" She tilted her head a little, "Yeah, I think he's coming too. Hm, I haven't seen him in awhile. I wonder how he's been."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're saying that as if you've seen the others more often than him."

She blinked up at me. "I have. I saw Jacques and Mateo a week ago or something...I don't remember exactly when. It was a weekday, though."

My eyes widened. "W-what?" It took a herculean effort to keep myself from exclaiming.

Axel was hanging out with Riku without telling me? What the hell?

"Yeah," My shorter friend shrugged nonchalantly as she continued to play with Salty's fur, "Remember that one day I said I couldn't have lunch with you at work? It was because Riku and I had lunch with them." She giggled behind her hand as she thought back to some past pleasant memory. "They're really funny."

Now that I think about it, there _was_ that one day where Axel, Demyx and Naminé were suspiciously too busy to have lunch with me...

I felt lightheaded for some reason. I brushed my bangs away from my face and shook my head. "Huh, that's interesting. I guess it'll be nice to see Ventus again."

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm actually eager to see him for some reason. He's interesting to talk to."

A lump grew in my throat. I could feel Salty's eyes on me. "But you've only talked to him once before...and didn't you say he was weird or something?"

"Yes, but...I dunno," Naminé shrugged as she fiddled with Salty's ears, "His weirdness is admirable. Kind of like you."

My eyes dulled. "Are you saying I'm weird?"

She grinned up at me. "Duh." When I poked her sides she twisted around and giggled. "Well, in a general sense I always try to see the quirky side in everyone. I think that's their most attractive side."

Curious, I leaned in a little. "Why?"

"Because I personally think the weird side to a person is their most honest side," The blonde replied softly as Salty began to climb up to her shoulders, "I feel like you're most like yourself when you're weird. Basically the weirder you are the more _you_ you are." She leaned against me again, and my pulse began to stutter. "And," She added in a quieter voice, "The weirder you are...the more I like you."

I scratched my head. "Huh, I guess that makes sense." Salty crawled from her shoulder to mine; he was almost on top of my head now. His paw was finally beginning to let up, so it was easier for him to climb and whatnot. "So...exactly how weird am I to you?"

Naminé watched Salty hang the upper portion of his body over my head so he was covering my eyes (I think he was trying to swipe at my bangs), and she giggled before prying him off of me. "You're probably one of the weirdest people I've ever had the fortune of meeting."

My face was probably entirely red by now. I think Salty was laughing at me.

Was she implying something? I really hoped she was.

I wonder how weird she thought Riku was?

After Naminé and Salty went home I decided to call Sora to see what's up. I was still beating myself up over not thinking of calling him when I found out about Riku's party. Seriously...it should've been one of the first things I should've done…

"Oops," Sora mumbled sheepishly on the other line once I finished explaining everything, "Well, I didn't-"

"I know you didn't know," I sighed, "It's not your fault. Don't worry...I think I have it all cleared up."

"Do you?"

"Yeah," I wandered into my room and sat on the edge of my bed, "I managed to give Naminé another stupid excuse but I honestly think she thinks I'm lying."

"I would if I were her," My twin brother added cheekily, "You're horrible at lying."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks. Anyway I _think_ she bought it...but at the same time I think she knows I'm up to something."

"I wouldn't blame her."

"Shut up. So...who's gonna watch the kids? I'm gonna be busy pretending to be Ventus, remember?"

"Ah, Kairi said she's gonna sit this one out," Sora replied casually, "I know Riku probably wants her to come but she insisted on staying home for some reason. I think it's because she knows something's gonna happen."

For some reason I agreed with my brother's wife. "I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. I mean...from what we know so far it's pretty much a setup for something to happen: Riku is hiding something from everyone, Axel, Demyx and I are there in disguise…"

"It'll be interesting to see how things play out, at least." Sora chuckled. "Anyways, I have to go. I guess I'll see you Friday?"

"Yep," I rumpled my hair, "But you have to remember that I'm a total stranger to you! Pretend you don't know me or Axel!"

"Gee, Roxas...I 'm not that dumb."

I chuckled. "Just making sure. Later."

On Thursday I was so nervous for some reason I couldn't even sit still.

I guess this is what happens when I over-think things.

"For the billionth time," Axel rolled his eyes as he crossed his hands behind his head, "He's _not_ gonna propose to her. Will you calm down already? You're starting to freak me out."

"Maybe Riku found out something that changed his life," Demyx shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe he found out he's gay and he wants to come out to everybody at the same time so he doesn't have to go through the trouble of repeating himself." When everybody wordlessly stared at him he shrugged again. "Well, it made sense to me."

"I dunno," Larxene was scarfing down a box of Chinese noodles beside the redhead, "It's kinda entertaining when he's all bothered like this." She paused just as she was about to stuff another wad of noodles into her mouth. "Ugh...I want to stop but it's soooo good…" She glared at the redhead sitting beside her and threateningly snapped her chopsticks at him, imitating the jowls of an alligator. "This is all your fault."

And I thought non-pregnant Larxene was scary enough.

"Now that Sora's going to this party I think it'll be easier for us to get to know Riku a bit more," My male best friend snickered, "If we ever need a distraction your brother would probably be the best candidate for it."

I mussed up my hair. "Yeah, I guess...but that doesn't stop me from worrying about what Riku's hiding from everyone."

"I don't think anything will." Larxene muttered with her mouth full of noodles.

"And hey," Demyx rubbed the underside of his nose, "I mean, if Riku _does_ end up proposing there's always a chance Naminé could refuse."

I buried my face in my hands. "She'd have to be insane to do that. We can all plainly see she's madly in love with him." I sighed and sat up straight, throwing my head against the backrest of my seat. "Ugh, I have a bad feeling about this."

"Don't be such a negative ninny," Axel rolled his sharp green eyes, "This thing Riku's hiding from everyone...I bet it isn't even a big deal. I know for sure it's got _nothing_ to do with Naminé, so I'd really prefer if you stopped moping about it."

I leaned into my palm. "I know...but I can't stop thinking that it is. You don't know how difficult it's been for me lately," My voice hardened as my frustration bubbled inside of me, "I mean, now that I know Riku a bit better...it's obvious to see I have little to nothing against this guy." As quickly as it came my anger disappeared and I hung my head. "Naminé won't waste her time on a guy like me."

"Y'know," Larxene slammed her box of noodles on my desk to capture my attention; I looked up and noticed that she had leaned forward so that her elbows rested on the edge of my desk, "I'm getting really tired of you complaining about the same thing over and over again. You've been wallowing in your self-pity for so long you can't even catch a glimpse of the fact that you _do_ have a chance, even if it does seem a little slim."

I would've never imagined Larxene as the type who would give an encouraging pep-talk, so I decided to listen. I was pretty sure Axel and Demyx were thinking the same because they grew silent all of a sudden. "Er…"

She rolled her hazel-green eyes. "Ugh, I don't even know why I'm bothering to help a loser like you. Must be the hormones." She shook her head. "Anyway, back to what I was saying...there's gotta be a reason why she's giving you all of these mixed signals."

I blinked in confusion. "Um...I don't follow."

She smacked her own forehead. "Of course you don't. I think she _does_ feel something for you...but at the same time I don't even think she's aware of it. You guys do crap best friends _aren't _supposed to be doing, right?" When I nodded she smirked. "Yeah, see - she probably _does_ like you but because this Riku dude's in the way she's sort of distracted."

I scratched my head and pointed my eyes towards my shoes. "So...what do you suppose I do, then…?"

"You don't give up, that's what you do. Isn't it obvious?" When I blinked back, still confused, the blonde groaned. "You are so useless - do I have to explain _everything_ for you? God, all men really are the same." She ran a hand through her slick hair and heaved a sigh. "If you keep complaining about how you'll never be good enough for her it's gonna come true. You have to keep telling yourself that no matter what you're _gonna_ end up with this girl, because that's the way you want things to be. When you want something, you don't give up until it's yours. Got it memorized?" Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion for a second and she smacked herself again. She swiveled around in her chair and glared at Axel, whose eyes widened by just a fraction. "You idiot - look what you're doing to me!"

I was sort of starting to feel bad for their future baby now. I straightened up and combed my fingers through my hair. "Y-yeah...I can see where you're coming from. Thanks, Larxene." I was pretty sure she didn't hear me because she was currently bickering with Axel.

Demyx smirked and crossed his arms. "I've never seen two people so in love before."

I stared up at him. _"That's_ love?"

The dirty-blond grinned down at me. "Depends on how you look at it."

Thursday passed quickly, and before I knew it Friday afternoon was upon us. I was walking with Naminé out of the office and into the elevator. I noticed the crestfallen expression on her ashen face and I gulped.

"Hey," She looked up at me and I smiled my best for her, "Don't look so sad. You're going to a party tonight."

The corner of her mouth twitched a little, but she didn't smile. "I know…" She reached up to pull on her hair, "But...I dunno. I'm just really anxious about what Riku has to say tonight…" She then added in a much quieter voice, "And I really wanted you to be there…"

I chuckled nervously, though my hand was speeding through my hair. "I dunno why it would matter if I was there or not. Riku and I have only met once."

"But this isn't about Riku," She replied in a whiny voice as I pressed the elevator button, "This is...t-this about you and me."

My heart was screaming for its life. I slowly turned to face her, fully aware that my face was probably a tomato-red. "W-what do you mean?"

Larxene's lecture from the day before replayed in my head:

_"She probably _does _like you but because this Riku dude's in the way she's sort of distracted."_

Could that really be true? Maybe that conversation we had before we discovered Salty stirred something inside of her. Maybe she couldn't stop thinking about it since then. Maybe she was finally beginning to realize she really feel something for me, and she's just confused because she still had feelings for Riku. My chest was swelling with the possibilities.

"I…" She threw her eyes to her shoes, "I really have a feeling this announcement has something to do with me. I don't mean to sound conceited or anything but I really, _really_ have a feeling I'm going to be affected by this somehow," She bit her lip for a second, "And...I wanted you to be there because you're the only one who would make me feel better."

The elevator doors slid open and we walked inside. "Naminé," I addressed her, and when she looked up with me with tear-glazed eyes a painful lump grew in the middle of my esophagus, "You know there's a possibility of you getting _positively_ affected by this...announcement thing."

She shook her white-blonde head. "But I have a feeling it's going to be _bad._ I've been dreading and anticipating this day for awhile, but lately the dread's been overcoming the anticipation and…" She clamped her eyes shut and gripped her head, like she had a terrible headache. "I just don't know anymore, Roxas. I'm so confused."

I didn't know what else to say. I was afraid if I said anything else the mood would only worsen, so I did what any other person in my situation would've done: opened my arms to her. She laughed a watery laugh and stepped into my embrace, nuzzling her head against my shoulder and squeezing my neck with her skinny arms. I hushed her and rubbed her lower back with my hands to cease her crying.

Ever since I found out I was in love with her seeing Naminé hurt was probably the worst things I've ever experienced. It wasn't like she didn't look appealing when she was crying or whatever - I personally thought she was beautiful no matter what - it was just the feeling I got whenever I saw her in pain. It made me feel like I was in pain too, like whatever was hurting her was hurting me at the same time.

Personally I would've rather have myself get hurt if it meant nothing would ever hurt her anymore.

The dinging of the elevator scared us apart, and we smiled at each other shyly before making our way out. Maybe one day I'll be able to tell her that. I wonder if that would make her happy...or feel really awkward.

There I go again with my negative thinking. I should really heed Larxene's advice - who knows what she would do if she found out I wasn't…

"So," I felt her fingers against my arm and I looked at her, "I'm guessing you're leaving for your parents' now?"

"Yeah," I dug into my pockets for my keys, "Well, I'm heading home for a few minutes to get a few things and then I'm off. I should be back by tomorrow morning, though, so if you want to tell me what happened I'll be around tomorrow - that is, if you can't wait 'till Sunday."

She giggled behind her hand. "I probably won't be able to wait, so expect a call from me." She hugged me again and stood on her tiptoes to daintily plant a kiss on my cheek. I sucked in a sharp breath and hoped she didn't notice. "Thank you, Roxas. You've done so much for me."

I raised an eyebrow once she let go of me. "I have?"

"Yes," She smiled vaguely, "You have. Trust me." She waved before skipping off to her car.

"Don't miss me too much!" I hollered back jokingly as I began to make my way towards my own car.

"Tell that to Salty!" She shouted back before ducking inside the driver's seat.

First Riku with his 'lucky guy' quote, and now Naminé - well, Naminé's always been vague with these sorts of things but this one was probably the hardest to decipher.

Why couldn't anybody be straightforward anymore?

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _Always Be _by Jimmy Eat World._


	23. A Sad And Lonely Girl

**A Sad And Lonely Girl.**

"You sure you're not gonna get wasted this time?" Demyx asked slyly.

There was the distinct thudding noise of knuckles colliding with a skull, followed by Demyx yowling in pain. "Shut up." Axel grumbled.

"Ugh," I stared dismally at the box of hair dye sitting on my kitchen table, "I hate this hair dye…" I glared at the jeans hanging over one of the chairs, "And I _hate_ those jeans. You clearly saw not _all_ artists dress like that, so why do I have to continue wearing those things?"

Axel shrugged as he reached for his beret. "I dunno. I guess I just like torturing you - and besides, drastically changing your wardrobe might make Naminé and Riku suspicious." He adjusted his belt, though his jeans were so tight there really was no point of wearing one. "Did Sora call yet?"

"Yeah," I grabbed the box of hair dye and trudged to the nearest bathroom, "He said he's probably gonna head there a little earlier."

"Good - Riku will be distracted. Now hurry up and dye your hair."

I rolled my eyes and shut the door behind me. I was beginning to regret not going to the party as myself...and with Naminé feeling sad because I wasn't going to be there I only felt worse.

I mean, what happened if she was right and Riku's announcement _did_ make her feel bad? I wouldn't be able to comfort her as Ventus. As Ventus I'm a complete stranger to her. It would be too awkward.

I guess I'd have to wing it, just like what Axel said.

Once I was sure my hair was that weird rusty colour I changed into my outfit: black skinny jeans, black fedora, black glasses, black and white sneakers, a grey v-neck t-shirt and a black blazer. I sighed when Demyx and Axel snickered at my appearance. "You guys don't look any better, you know."

My redheaded best friend sighed and slung one arm around my shoulders. He threw the other arm around Demyx and lightly pushed us towards the front door. "Oh, the things we do for you, Roxas…"

"I'm kind of excited, actually," Demyx commented giddily as we made our way out of my apartment and towards the elevator, "I really wanna know what Riku's hiding from everyone."

"I'm pretty sure everyone does," Axel smirked, "And I'm pretty sure it's something big-" He shot me a wary look, "-and it _doesn't_ have anything to do with his love life."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, we'll never know until he tells us."

We decided to take Demyx's car to the party. I sat quietly in the backseat, absently looking out the window while pretending to pay attention to my friends' conversation. I let my mind wander off for a bit: I thought about Kairi and how she decided not to go. She probably had a bad feeling about this too. I thought about the kids, and then I suddenly thought about Larxene and how Axel must be coping with the crazy mood swings and whatnot. He didn't seem to be too bothered by it…

"Why did I have a feeling Riku's place was a loft?" Axel scoffed as Demyx pulled into the parking lot.

"Ugh, it's packed," The dirty-blond complained as he searched for a vacant spot, "I guess Riku really did invite everyone he knew."

I spotted my twin brother's car. Coincidentally there was an empty spot right next to it. Demyx parked there, and I hesitantly clambered out once the engine stopped running. I briefly reached underneath my fedora to tousle my hair.

"Alright," I felt Axel's large hand on my shoulder, "Let's party." He lightly pushed me towards the door that led us to the lobby, and we took the elevator to the fifteenth floor. "Huh, this place seems tidy enough." My male best friend commented, looking around the hallway once we stepped out of the elevator.

"I think I know where Riku's door is…" Demyx's head was tilted in a certain direction; I paused for a minute and realized there was loud music muffled behind one of the doors. It seemed to be coming from the end of the hallway.

"Doesn't sound like your typical music, to be honest with you," Axel smirked as he meandered past the numerous grey doors, "Hardcore artists sure are strange." When we approached the door where the music was coming from he turned to me and sniggered. "Ready, loverboy?"

I rolled my eyes and knocked on the door. I wondered if anybody could hear me with that loud music going on.

Surprisingly enough the door swung open, and when I saw Naminé's silvery blue eyes and pearly-white grin I almost fainted. "Hey!" She leapt forward and captured Axel - er, _Jacques - _in a bear hug, "I'm so glad to see you guys!" She hugged Demyx - I mean _Mateo - _and he chuckled softly before gently patting her head.

I stood there awkwardly with my hands behind my pockets. Of course I didn't get a hug - I was a complete stranger to her.

Naminé turned towards me and grabbed me by the wrist. My eyes widened slightly as she pulled me inside. "Hey Ventus," Even though the music was a little loud she wasn't speaking much louder than a regular indoor voice and I could hear her perfectly, "How are you? It's been awhile."

I felt Axel and Demyx's eyes on me for a split second before they disappeared somewhere. I guess they went to mingle with the other artists...or whoever else Riku decided to invite. "Um," I awkwardly rubbed the back of my head, "G-good. What about you?"

She giggled behind her hand. I took the time to notice what she was wearing: a simple beige strapless dress and light brown sandals. She was wearing a silver chain bracelet - something I've never seen her wear before. It looked new. "Same old, same old. I heard you've been busy lately - at least that's what Jacques and Mateo told me. What have you been up to?"

She began to walk deeper into the apartment, and I noticed how crowded it was. There were people huddled in groups, sitting on couches, leaning against the walls, sitting on the stair steps, crowded around the kitchen island…

Whatever Riku was hiding from everyone, it must've been _really_ big.

The small blonde smoothed out her knee-length skirt and found rest on a leather loveseat, and she patted the spot next to her. I cleared my throat and plopped down, hoping she didn't notice how shaky my legs were. I didn't know why I felt so nervous; I mean, I've talked to her as Ventus before. It shouldn't have been so hard.

"Uh," I remembered she was waiting for me to answer her question, and my collar enclosed around my neck, "Y-you've seen Jacques and Mateo...earlier?"

"Yes," She smiled sweetly, "I've had lunch with them a week or so ago."

I wondered why she wanted to talk to me - to Ventus, a complete _stranger_ out of all the other people she could've chosen to talk to. She could've easily struck up easier conversation with Axel and Demyx, or better yet: she could've just clung onto Riku's arm the entire night and followed him around while he made his rounds with the bajillion people he managed to stuff in his loft. She could've even talked to my brother.

Even under disguise she managed to single me out.

"Erm," I anxiously wrung my hands, "Y-yeah, uh...I've been working. A lot. On new stuff."

Her eyes lit up. "Oh, really? You must've been really inspired if you've been working so much!"

I gulped. "Y-yeah, pretty...pretty much."

"Is that Ventus?" Riku popped out from behind Naminé, and when the blonde noticed him she sprung up from her seat and reached for his hand. "Hey man, so glad you could make it! Long time no see!"

I stood up and shook his hand briefly. "Yeah...uh, I was just catching up with Naminé. I've been working...on new stuff...so I haven't had the time to hang out lately. S-sorry." At least my nervousness was adding to Ventus' awkward personality.

Riku waved my excuse/lie off dismissively. "Nah, don't worry about it. Totally know how you feel - once you get an idea you can't stop until you're done, right?" When I nodded he chuckled. "Say, are you hungry? There's snacks and drinks and whatnot over by the kitchen. Better grab what you can before it's gone."

I was a little hungry, so I nodded again. "Y-yeah, I'll be sure to do that." An idea popped into my head at that moment, and I looked up at him. "Uh, hey...Riku?"

Both him and Naminé looked at me. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Er, not meaning to sound rude or anything but...is there a reason why you invited so many people over?" I laughed a little and reached underneath my hat to muss up my hair. "I figured there would have to be some sort of special occasion for you to be willing to have so many people here."

He laughed that perfect laugh, his long hair swishing around his face. Naminé was staring at him intently, as if she was also anticipating his answer. "Well...I guess you'll have to wait until later to find out."

My chest caved in from disappointment. Naminé puffed her cheeks and glared at him. "You aren't making this any easier on anyone, you know." She muttered.

Riku chuckled and threw an arm around her shoulders, holding her close and leaning down to peck her lips. I suddenly felt my airways close. "Who said I wanted to make things easy for anybody?" I heard him reply to her in a low voice - I was pretty sure he wanted only Naminé to hear that.

They seemed too absorbed in their little moment to notice anything else, so I decided to make my way to the kitchen. For some reason the image of them kissing in front of me didn't shock me as much as I thought it would. The moment I was far enough from them I felt like I could breathe again. Maybe I was just so used to getting disappointed. I don't know.

"Psst!" Someone hissed in my direction amidst the hundreds of conversations buzzing around, and I looked around frantically. When I spotted Sora hiding behind the fridge with a drink in his hands I slunk over to his side. "When did you guys get here?" He whispered.

I raised an eyebrow. "Why are you whispering? We don't know anybody here - there's nothing to hide!"

The brunet flushed and straightened up. "Sorry - I thought we were supposed to act like we were strangers."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, you were the one who called me over here…and plus, I think Riku and Naminé are a little preoccupied to notice we're conversing anyway."

My brother scratched his head. "Oh. Right." His eyes widened a little bit. "Wait, what? Preoccupied?"

I gave my twin a grim smile. "Yeah...I was just talking to them. They got all lovey-dovey again. I don't think they even noticed when I left."

Sora frowned. "Aw, that's too bad." His eyes widened again, though I noticed he was staring at something that was approaching me from behind. "Er, Roxas-"

"What?" I was about to turn around and see, but then I felt something cold hit my chest. Sora just deliberately spilled his fruit punch on me. "Hey! What the hell-"

"Oh," Sora quickly approached me, "I'm so sorry-"

"Something the matter?" Riku's voice popped up from behind, and we both swiveled around to face him. Oh...so that explained my brother's behaviour. "Sora, you klutz."

"It was an accident," The brunet fibbed, "I didn't mean-"

"Er, no worries," I had to keep telling myself that my brother was a stranger and that I didn't know him, "It...it's not his fault."

"Here," I felt a small hand on my arm and my heart leapt to my throat when I found Naminé standing by my side, "I'll help you get that cleaned off. Come." She gently tugged me by the arm, and I dumbly followed her.

All of a sudden I loved my brother.

She took me upstairs and down the hallway. Since nobody was up here it was much quieter, and the noise almost faded away completely when we entered the bathroom at the end of the hall. She turned on the sink and ran a cloth through the water. "The guy who spilled his drink on you - his name's Sora. He's Riku's best friend."

I sat on the toilet lid and rubbed my shoulder. I was about to take off my hat but I remembered how she would instantly recognize my messy hair if I did, so I caught myself at the last minute. "Oh...w-what a coincidence."

She laughed softly. "Yeah. They've known each other since college." She approached me and crouched in front of me - obviously a very awkward position. She didn't seem to mind (or notice), however, and began to dab my shirt with the cloth. "I'm actually best friends with his twin brother, so I find the whole thing a really funny coincidence."

My temperature must've tripled at that moment. "O-oh...wow."

She giggled again. "His name's Roxas." Her expression softened a bit. "He's...he's probably the most important person in my life, aside from Riku of course."

I forced myself to keep cool. "You guys must b-be really close, then."

She looked up at me from beneath her dark eyelashes and gave me a sad smile. "That's what I honestly thought at first, but lately...I'm not so sure." She laughed and shook her head. "I'm sorry...I'm totally bombarding you with my personal problems and we hardly know each other. You must think I'm such a weirdo."

It was my turn to shake my head. "N-no, no! I don't think you're weird. It's...i-it's kind of flattering, actually. I...I don't m-mind listening."

She smiled again, though this time she looked much happier - maybe even a little relieved. "Thanks." She continued dabbing my shirt. "Roxas...well, he's a little hard to read sometimes. I mean...I feel like I can tell him anything but...I don't think he feels the same towards me."

Lies. She was hiding things from me - that kiss she shared with Riku not too long ago just proved it. "What makes you think that?"

She shrugged her miniscule shoulders. "He's just been so distant lately, and he's even been refusing upfront to tell me what's bothering him. It's so...ugh…" She clamped her eyes shut and for a second I thought she was going to cry but she reopened her eyes and continued cleaning my shirt, "At first I thought it was frustrating, but after awhile I realized...well," She sighed in defeat, "I realized that I was just being a hypocrite for feeling that way towards him because I've been hiding things from him too."

Good. Admit you were lying.

Wait a minute...she's been hiding things from me? What were these _things?_ Was it about her and Riku's relationship? Was it about something else? Was it about me?

"Does he know you feel this way?" I finally found my voice, though my head was still running over the numerous possibilities.

"Oh, no. I couldn't tell him - well, I mean I just don't know _how_ to tell him," She replied dismally, "But at the same time why should I bother worrying over this when I know he won't open up in return?" She paused for a moment to tug on her hair. "I...I'm afraid of losing him. He's been so good to me...he's treated me so well, and I'm just so scared of messing everything up." She sniffled, and my heart stuttered for a moment, "I can't lose him. I can't afford to lose him. He means too much to me."

What did all of this mean?

"Well…" I started slowly, hoping the words in my head would come out properly, "I-I'm pretty sure he does appreciate everything you've done for him. Maybe he...he just has trouble expressing it."

She laughed quietly. "That sounds like him alright."

"Maybe he just...I dunno, needs time to adjust to things," I shrugged; she finished cleaning off the worst of the spill on my shirt and moved to sit on the edge of the bathtub, "Maybe he's not used to you and Riku being in a relationship yet."

"But why should Riku and I be a bother to him?" She asked quietly, "I mean...I know he's been a little irritated over it. He doesn't seem to like it when I bring Riku up, but I guess that's understandable. I talked about him way too much in the beginning, so I guess he got annoyed." She pulled on her hair and frowned. "He blew up on me one time and that's when I decided to refrain from talking about Riku, but now I feel bad because I feel like I've been hiding so many things from him." She sighed. "I guess it makes us even because he hasn't been telling me anything." Her eyes dropped to her sandals. "I think he secretly hates me."

Was that the only reason why she hasn't been updating me on the progress of her relationship with Riku - because she was afraid I'd blow up on her again? I guess that was understandable. I probably would react extremely if she ever told me about their first real kiss or something, but I think I took seeing it first hand without a warning pretty well.

Wait, did she just say she thought I _hated_ her?

"No, no!" I exclaimed, and her head shot up. Oops. "I-I mean, no, I don't think he hates you. He wouldn't - no one in their right mind would hate you."

She smiled. "Aw, you're sweet." She stood up and brushed off her skirt. "We should get back to the party." Before making her way out she turned around to give me a shy smile. "Thanks, by the way. Talking about stuff really helps, even if it's with someone I hardly know."

I rubbed the back of my head. "Anytime, Naminé - it's the least I could do for, uh...owing you back for cleaning my shirt."

I felt like I knew her more as a stranger than I did as a best friend. It was kind of depressing.

The buzzing conversation and lack of personal space returned once we stepped back on the first floor. Naminé made some excuse to go somewhere (probably to find Riku) so I decided to find either my brother or my friends - whoever I saw first.

"Ventus!" I whirled around and found Axel with what looked like a plate of pot-stickers balancing on his palm; he leaned in towards me and playfully elbowed my ribs. "I saw you coming downstairs with Naminé. Did you-"

"No," I cut in shortly, throwing him a glare, "Don't even think about it." I grabbed one of the pot-stickers and popped it into my mouth. Hm, not bad.

"Okay, well...if you weren't doing what I thought you were doing what _did_ you do?"

"Talk," I shrugged, "It's...it's kinda complicated. I'll have to explain later." I looked around and noticed someone was missing. "Where's Dem-I mean, Mateo?"

"Who cares?" Axel shrugged, "It's a party. Let him have a good time. I know I am." He stuffed two pot-stickers in his mouth. "I talked to Riku just before I saw you. He's really keeping this secret of his on the down-low, hm?"

I rumpled the back of my hair. "Yeah, I know...I tried asking him about it too and he told me to wait." I paused for a minute. "Did you see Sora?"

"Yeah but we couldn't say much because Riku was nearby. He managed to tell me that he bought time for you and Naminé, though. I thought you were gonna make use of it…"

I rolled my eyes. "I _did_ make use of it - just not in the way you're thinking." I noticed how the volume of the crowd died somewhat, and I raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"

Axel jerked his head over to the living room, where people were flocking towards. "Hm, maybe Riku finally decided to let us in on his big secret. Let's check it out, shall we?"

As we moved with the throng of people I managed to bump into my brother. He gave Axel and I a shy smile. "Excited?" When Axel nodded and I shrugged he laughed. "This is gonna be good."

I managed to push past the crowd so that I was one or two rows away from Riku, who was standing by the coffee table. Naminé was by his side like I expected with her arm around his waist and her cheek pressed against his shoulder. Everyone was talking in hushed, excited tones.

"Hey everyone," The second Riku addressed everybody they all fell silent, "I'm really glad I'm able to see all of you today, and I'm happy you were all able to make it." He paused to pull Naminé closer to him. "As most of you already know the reason why I invited all of you here was because I wanted to tell you something."

"Here it comes…" I heard Axel mutter beside me.

"I know it's a little crowded in here and I apologize, but the reason why I wanted so many of you to come tonight is because I didn't want to go through the trouble of repeating myself." Everybody broke out into fits of giggles and chuckles, and I rolled my eyes. Of course.

"Anyways, before I spill I just want to thank all of you guys for coming today and supporting me throughout the years. I really wouldn't be here if it weren't for you guys - and I don't mean to single anybody out but I have to give special recognition to my best friend. Sora, where the hell are you?" The crowd began to cheer, and Riku searched for a head of spiky brown hair.

Sora finally stepped forward, grinning sheepishly with one hand behind his head. "Aw, Riku, why'd you have to go and do that for?" His cheeks were tinged slightly pink. A few girls in the crowd were giggling.

Riku laughed and patted my brother on the back, further embarrassing him. "You've been there for me since we first met, man. You and Kairi-" Once he mentioned my brother's wife's name the girls sighed in disappointment, "-have been my strongest pillars of support. I can't thank you guys enough for all you've done for me. You and your wife-" The girls sighed louder, "-are the greatest friends a guy can have, seriously. Thanks." He briefly let go of Naminé to hug Sora, and the crowd 'aw-ed'. Naminé giggled behind her hand.

"And of course," Once Riku let go of my brother he immediately returned his arm to Naminé's waist; he turned towards her and she smiled up at him, "How can I forget about this lovely lady here?" The crowded hooted, and the small blonde blushed, "Naminé, I haven't known you for very long but you mean so much to me. It's easy to say that my entire universe revolves around you." The crowd hooted louder and Naminé's blush grew darker, and Riku laughed. "Sorry if I'm embarrassing you, but I just need to get this out. You are my everything, and I don't know how I managed to live before I met you."

I felt like he was taking the words I've been saving for Naminé right out of my head. He was stealing my lines.

He was stealing _my_ girl.

"So yeah," Riku looked a little flustered now; Naminé's eyes were pointed at the floor and her entire face was beet-red, "To make a long story short...I love you." When Naminé gaped at him he laughed. "Come here, you." He grabbed her and kissed her fully on the lips. The crowd was cheering so loudly my ears were hurting.

I found it weird how I was unable to feel anything. I mean, this seemingly perfect guy was kissing the girl was I hopelessly in love with right in front of me and I wasn't jealous, angry or sad. I felt nothing.

I think feeling nothing is worse than feeling anything at all.

"Get a room!" Some guy from the back jokingly hollered, and the couple finally broke apart with abashed looks on their faces as the crowd laughed. Naminé chortled quietly behind her hand and Riku rubbed the back of his head.

"Uh, okay...back to what I was saying…" The crowd laughed again and Riku threw his arms around Sora and Naminé's shoulders, "These two, along with everybody in this room are unique and amazing in their very own way - which is why I'm sad to say that I'll be missing every single one of you terribly."

Everyone gasped, and Sora and Naminé's heads immediately snapped up to Riku. Both looked completely confused.

"Hm..." Axel murmured beside me, and my eyebrows furrowed.

"I'm moving to Radiant Garden next year." Riku finally announced, and the room grew even quieter.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _Baby Come On _by (+44)._

_For some reason the music I pictured playing in Riku's apartment was all _Vampire Weekend _stuff. Must be the hipster-like vibe, hahaha._


	24. I Fall, I Falter

**I Fall, I Falter.**

_Radiant Garden?_

That was, like, an eight-hour flight away from here!

"I was offered an opening for an art gallery," Riku explained as the crowd began to whisper amongst themselves, "And it was an offer I couldn't refuse. That city is practically flooded with culture - you know how it is!" Everyone laughed awkwardly for a moment, and then broke out into some more cheering. I guess even though they were disappointed and shocked they were willing to support him, which was nice.

Sora and Naminé were still reeling from their shock, however; it was quite obvious since the both of them looked like they were just slapped in the face.

"I know it's a bit unexpected and it's definitely a huge change, but it's something I've always dreamed of: owning my own art gallery in one of art's biggest cities...it's both frightening and exciting at the same time, but I'll never forget where my roots are. I'll never forget any of you, and I'll be sure to come back to visit as many times as I can." The crowd hooted again, and Riku grinned. "Alright, well...that was all I needed to say. Let's continue the party, shall we?"

In seconds the crowd dispersed and everything went back to normal. Axel and I sort of just stood there in the midst of the moving bodies, unsure of what to say or feel.

"Guys!" Demyx appeared out of nowhere with his arms flailing, "Did you just hear that?"

"No, idiot," Axel rolled his eyes, "Of course we didn't." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Heavy stuff, eh? Didn't even have the courtesy to tell his best friend and his girlfriend first."

I guess it was fitting to say that Riku and Naminé were officially in a relationship - that kiss proved it - but now that Riku was moving far away...what did that mean?

"Hey, you better find your girl," The redhead nudged me, "She's probably upset."

"Yeah," I reached underneath my hat to ruffle my hair, "Sora's probably bummed out too."

"We'll take care of your bro," Axel shrugged, "Just go find Naminé."

I nodded diligently and separated from them. I noticed both my brother and Naminé had disappeared somewhere, and I frowned. It was going to be a little hard looking for her when there were so many people…

I assumed she'd be somewhere far from Riku. If I were her I wouldn't be in the mood to see him at the moment. I scratched my head and looked around, trying to figure out where I would go if I just found out my boyfriend (that didn't sound weird at all) was moving somewhere far away. My head turned towards the stairs and I was reminded of our little conversation in the bathroom. Hm…

I hesitantly made my way up the stairs, hoping no one would notice me. When I reached the bathroom I frowned when I realized no one was there. Where could she be?

I wandered down the hallway a bit and noticed that one of the doors were closed. I gulped and pressed my ear to the wood, closing my eyes. Sure enough I heard faint sobbing on the other side of the door, and my chest ached.

What was I supposed to do now? Do I knock? Do I leave her alone? Do I 'accidentally' stumble inside?

I wanted to just walk in there and hold her, comfort her and tell her that she didn't need Riku. I wanted to tell her that she didn't need anyone else but me, because I wouldn't do anything like that to her. I wouldn't keep something like that from her. I wouldn't even think of hurting her like that - I wouldn't think of hurting her at all, actually.

Filled with a newfound determination I rapped my knuckles against the door. "Go away," Naminé spat, "You're the last person I want to see right now."

At first I thought she was talking to me, but then I realized she probably thought I was Riku. "Naminé," I called, "Please open the door."

A few minutes later the door opened, and I came face-to-face with a crying Naminé. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were glazed over and her bottom lip was trembling. My heart was breaking. "O-oh," She sniffled, rubbing her eyes, "Ventus...I-"

"Er, I couldn't help but notice you running up the stairs after Riku's...announcement," I lied, "And um…w-well I wanted to know if...if you wanted to talk about it…" My hand reached for my hair, "B-but if you need your space I understand-"

She pulled me in and closed the door behind me. I noticed we were in Riku's room, and I vaguely wondered how many times she's been here before. "How could he do this to me?" She screamed, and I was taken aback at her sudden burst of anger, "He didn't even tell Sora, his _best friend!_ He's probably more devastated than I am!" She growled (I would've thought it was cute if not for the situation she was in) and grabbed a pillow. "He can be so inconsiderate sometimes." She pulled the silver bracelet off her wrist and tossed it onto the nightstand.

I sat on the edge of the bed and watched her angrily pace the room. "Inconsiderate?"

"Don't get me wrong," She replied shortly, "Riku's one of the sweetest guys I've ever met but sometimes I think he mixes up his priorities. He makes time for me and all, but...I don't know," She stopped walking and squished the pillow in her small fists, "His work seems to be the most important thing in his life. I don't want to sound selfish or anything but it makes me really mad sometimes. I need some attention too, you know..."

"But...I thought you and Riku were happy together," I frowned, "I mean...you appear to be happy, at least."

"We _are_ happy," Naminé sighed exasperatingly, "Well, _I'm_ happy. I _was _happy...until this came up." She plopped down beside me and buried her face in the pillow she was holding. "I don't understand why he bothered to deal with me when he knew he was going to do this."

"Maybe he found out just recently." I suggested. I didn't know why I was standing up for Riku. It felt right at the moment.

"Even so he could've informed me," She groaned into her pillow, "Now everything's messed up. He's moving far away and I'll never see him again."

"Don't say that - he said he was going to come back and visit every once in awhile, and he isn't moving 'till next summer. That's a long time from now."

"But how am I supposed to stay in a relationship where I _know_ when it's going to end?" She threw her hands up, "I'm just going to be spending most of the time counting down the days, if you know what I mean. I'm going to be too preoccupied expecting the end of it all." She groaned again and buried her face in her hands. "This is giving me a headache. I wish Roxas was here..."

I gulped. "Um, maybe you should just go home and rest. Give yourself time to sort things out. Maybe you can talk to Roxas this weekend or something if you really want to."

"Yeah," She tugged on her hair, "I think I'm going to do just that. I see Roxas every Sunday but I think I'm gonna need to heckle him tomorrow. This is bad." She stood up and gave me a defeated smile. "Thanks for letting me vent to you a second time. I really needed that."

I smiled in return. "Don't worry about it. So I'm guessing you're not going to tell Riku you're leaving?"

She scoffed as she opened the door. "Heck no. He's not going to have my attention for awhile, that's for sure."

I couldn't help but feel hopeful somehow. She was mad at Riku...so did that mean she was going to spend more time with me? I really hoped that was the case. Maybe I did have a chance after all…

I waved Naminé goodbye before she left, and once she was gone I decided to look for my brother. She was probably right when she said he was probably more devastated than she was; Sora wasn't very good when it came to dealing with bad news.

My phone began to vibrate; it was a text from Axel. They were already in the parking lot, and they were with my brother. I anxiously searched the crowd, wondering if I should say goodbye to Riku or not but I decided in the end that my brother was more important at the moment - besides, he was the one who hurt him _and_ Naminé.

When I reached the parking lot I found Demyx, Axel and Sora leaning against Demyx's car. "Hey," I jogged up to them; I noticed the forlorn look on my brother's face and I felt uneasy inside, "Are...are you alright, Sora?"

My brother looked up at me and gave me a sad smile. "No, not really…" His smile immediately turned into a frown and he glared to the side. "I can't believe he just threw this out there without telling anyone. Clearly you saw that everyone in the crowd was just as shocked as Naminé and I were."

Axel shrugged and rubbed the back of his head. "Maybe he was doing it to be dramatic."

Sora chuckled darkly. "I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case - Riku's the type who would do that anyway." He sighed in defeat and deflated his shoulders. "I guess there really isn't anything I can do at the moment. He probably already made up his mind, and it really was a dream of his to have his own art gallery in Radiant Garden someday…" He sighed again. "I wouldn't wanna stop him from achieving that."

I frowned and stuck my hands in my pockets. I was surprised my hands were able to fit since my jeans were so tight. "Naminé's peeved at him; she said she didn't want to talk to him for awhile."

Demyx turned towards me. "Oh, you managed to talk to her?"

I nodded. "Yeah. She's gonna talk to me tomorrow about it, apparently."

Axel smirked. "Great, you know what this means: you get to spend more time with her."

I blushed and dropped my gaze to the floor. "W-well we really don't know what'll happen from this point-"

"But Axel's right, Roxas," Sora pointed out, "Naminé's too angry to be with Riku right now, and aside from him you're her closest friend. She's gonna want to be with you most of the time." He rubbed his neck. "You should probably call her tonight. Tell her I told you what happened. The sooner you speak to her the better."

"I guess." I ran my fingers through my hair. "She's probably on her way home now."

"Which means _we_ should be heading home so you'll be able to talk to her," Axel grabbed my shoulders and flipped me around so that I was facing Demyx's car, "You heard your brother: the sooner you speak to her the better! Demyx, get behind the wheel!"

"Hey bro," I glanced over my shoulder to address Sora, "If you need someone to talk to I'll be around, okay?"

"I know." He grinned his usual grin and I began to feel a little better. "Thanks, Roxas. I'll see you Sunday." He turned around and ducked into his own car.

When Demyx dropped me home the first thing I did was get rid of the colour in my hair. For some reason the dye made my scalp really itchy, and it was irritating.

As I stepped underneath the hot water of the shower I thought about Riku's behaviour. It _was_ a little strange for him to hide such a big secret from everyone. I'd figured he would at least tell Sora or Naminé since they were the closest to him. Did he even consider their feelings?

What about Naminé? They were in a _relationship_ for Pete's sake. I thought relationships were about cooperation! Wouldn't he wanted to have told her beforehand so they could work something out? Everyone knows long-distance relationships don't last very long!

Ugh, I sound like such a girl.

Once I was sure my hair was back to blond I changed into a clean pair of boxers and collapsed on my bed. It was almost midnight. Would Naminé be in the mood to talk to me?

I grabbed my phone in one hand and the tiny blue paper crane in the other. I scrolled down my contacts list and stopped on her name, and my insides tingled with anxiousness. Should I…?

Before I knew it I had my phone held up to my ear. Dammit.

Naminé picked up after seven rings. "H-hello?" Her voice was thick with tears, and I gulped. Suddenly this didn't feel like such a good idea anymore.

"Naminé," I breathed, "I'm home now. Sora told me what happened. Are you okay?"

"Roxas," She seemed to sigh with relief, "You don't know how happy I am to hear your voice." She hesitated for a moment. "Er, is...is it okay if I head over right now? I know it's late but-"

"N-no, no...I don't mind. Come over. Bring Salty too - I miss him." My pulse was hammering out of control at this point.

She laughed quietly, and it made me smile. "O-okay. We'll see you in a bit, then."

Once she hung up I laid flat on my back against my mattress, staring up at the ceiling and twirling the paper bird in between my fingers. I didn't know why I felt so nervous. Maybe it was because it was so late and Naminé was coming over. Maybe it was because there was a slight possibility of her staying the night…

My face heated up and I shook my head. I'm not a pervert, I am _not_ a pervert.

Ten minutes later my door rang, and I shot straight up from bed. Hm, that was fast. I quickly stashed the paper crane in my nightstand drawer and pulled on a white t-shirt. When I opened the door Naminé was standing there with tears streaking her face. Salty was snoozing calmly in her arms. I stared at her wordlessly, and she stared back for a few seconds before running into me. I was shocked at first, but after a bit I adjusted myself and wrapped my arms around her before kicking the door shut.

Salty woke up and glanced up at me in confusion, probably wondering how he got here in the first place. I grinned sheepishly and ruffled his furry head. "Hey buddy," I said to him, and when he meowed and touched my neck with his paw I heard Naminé giggle against my shirt.

"I'm sorry for bothering you at this time," She sniffled against me, "B-but...I really need someone to talk to right now."

I led her into the TV room and sat down on the couch. Salty crawled onto my lap and I played with his ears. "That's okay. You know I'll always be around for you, Naminé - it doesn't matter what time of the day."

She laughed softly and crawled into my arms, and I hugged her closely. Salty mewled and tried to squeeze himself in between us, and I rolled my eyes. "Fine, fine," I muttered and widened the space between Naminé and I so he had enough room to fit.

My blonde companion laughed some more as Salty nuzzled the both of our necks. "I thought you wouldn't be back until tomorrow morning."

"Turns out I was wrong," I smiled sheepishly, "Plus once Sora called and explained everything it made me want to go home." I leaned back against the couch and hoisted my legs up so I was lying down, and Naminé lowered herself on top of me. At first I felt a little uncomfortable but she didn't seem to mind, so I tried to feel the same way. Salty crawled out from underneath her and climbed on her back.

"I bet he hasn't even noticed I left," She grumbled, "I mean, if he did he probably would've called by now." She shifted around in my arms a bit and pressed her cheek against the side of my neck, and I stiffened. "Boys are stupid."

I snorted. "Oh, thanks."

She giggled softly; her warm breath tickled my skin. "Anytime." She sighed against me and I felt her eyelashes flutter against my neck as she closed her eyes. "I don't know what possessed him to think that I would be okay with this."

"Well he isn't moving 'till next summer...you still have a lot of time to work things out."

"I know," She sighed again, "But...what really bothers me is why he even agreed to get into a relationship when he _knew_ this was going to happen. Couldn't he just wait 'till he moved, or something? He could find a pretty artsy girl there he could spend time with," She huffed, "Or at least _pretend_ to spend time with, if that makes any sense."

I raised an eyebrow. "I don't follow."

"He's a workaholic, basically," She muttered against my collar; above her Salty had curled up on her back and was sleeping soundly, "I know it seems like we spend a lot of time together, but we really don't. I'm always asking him to hang out but he's either busy with some art stuff at a friend's gallery or whatever or he's busy creating his own masterpieces." She blew upwards to get her bangs out of the way, and when she was unsuccessful I brushed them away for her. "Thanks. So yeah…" She shook her head, "I'm angry at him. I don't want to see him for awhile."

Her last words made me almost go into cardiac arrest. "Well, he's eventually gonna want to talk to you about it," I tried to keep myself from sounding too excited, "What if he randomly shows up at your door one day?"

She scoffed, much to my amusement. "Just because he shows up at my door doesn't mean I'm gonna answer it."

"Uh...what if he breaks in?"

"Then I'll call the cops and slap a restraining order in his face, duh." She snuggled closer to me, and I began to feel even more uncomfortable. "Let's not mention him anymore. I don't wanna think about it for now."

"Well...if you don't want to talk about him what do you want to talk about?"

"Nothing. Let's sleep." She yawned. "Goodnight."

I rolled my eyes. "Since when did I give you permission to sleep here?"

"Never." Her voice was slightly muffled against my shirt, and I sighed.

"I can at least show you to your room. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't wanna spend the night on a couch." I raised my upper body on my elbows to pluck Salty off of her back. "C'mon, lazy. Get up."

My shorter companion groaned and shook her head. "Nngh…" She rubbed her eyes cutely and rolled off of me. When she opened her eyes she stared at me for a bit, and then broke out into a fit of giggling.

I sat up with Salty still cradled in my arms. "What's so funny?"

She removed her hand from her mouth. "You were in your underwear this entire time?"

I completely forgot I was only in a t-shirt and boxers. I stood up quickly, my face bright red. Salty was making a strange noise in his sleep...sort of like a cat-like laugh, if that made any sense. Dammit. "Do you want to sleep in a nice comfy bed or not?"

She sighed. "Fine, fine. Lead the way, Grumpy."

I led her to the guest bedroom next to my own room. "Uh, I'll go get you something to change into. Hold on." I handed her Salty and jogged into my room to fetch some sweats and a shirt. When I came back she was sitting on the bed; Salty was snoozing beside her. "Here you go." I tossed her the clothes and rumpled the back of my hair.

She clutched the clothes in her fists and held them close to her chin. "Thanks." She murmured. She tugged on her hair. "Um, so...I guess I'll see you in the morning?"

I swayed awkwardly by the doorway. "Uh, yeah. 'Night, Naminé."

She gave me a small smile. "Sweet dreams, Roxas."

I closed the door and shuffled my way back to my room. I pulled my shirt off before sitting on the edge of my bed. I sighed and messed up my hair again.

The way she was snuggling up against me like that, it made me wonder if she was just using me because she didn't want to deal with Riku at the moment.

I had a feeling she _did_ know how I felt about her, and she's just using that to her advantage for the sake of having some guy to love.

But was Naminé really that kind of girl? She was so unpredictable sometimes. I could assume she was the sweet and innocent type...but assumptions only go so far. Naminé _did_ say she was hiding things from me…

I guess this was what happened when you were only second-best.

I swung my legs onto my bed and pulled the sheets up to my shoulders. My thoughts were tiring me out both physically and emotionally.

As tired as I was, however, I couldn't stop thinking...therefore I couldn't sleep. I was too worried over the possibility that Naminé was trying to use me.

She wouldn't do that, would she…?

There was a knock on my door, and I sat up immediately. "N-Naminé?" I whispered anxiously and swiveled to the side to turn my nightstand light on.

The door hesitantly creaked open and Naminé bumbled inside with a furry bundle in her arms - Salty, no doubt. I heard her sniveling, and I frowned. "What's wrong?"

She sat on the foot of my bed and placed Salty beside her so she could rub her eyes. "I don't want him to go, Roxas," She wailed, "I don't want him to leave."

Great. Riku. It was always about freaking Riku.

I raised my hands to my hair. "I thought you didn't want to talk about him."

"I don't," She sniffled, "But that doesn't mean I can't stop thinking about him." She groaned and buried her face in her hands. "I'm so confused right now."

I thought back to the conversation we had in Riku's bathroom. She said she didn't want to lose me either, but she wasn't this upset. Maybe it was because she knew I wasn't going anywhere.

If I was in Riku's place would she be this depressed and confused over me?

"Try and sleep it off," I suggested wearily, "Maybe you can talk to him in the morning or something-"

"No," She cut me off sternly, "I'm still not going to talk to him."

Now _I_ was confused. "Er, and why's that…? Clearly you don't want him to go anywhere, so-"

"I'm still angry over what he's done. He needs to learn first."

Girls… "Okay, well...whatever floats your boat, then." I shifted around a bit. "Just try and get some sleep." When I didn't hear her moving I looked back at her. "What is it?"

"Um…" She was fiddling with the sheets, "I...I was wondering if I could, erm, sleep here. With you. I kind of don't want to be alone…"

My theory over Naminé using me because she didn't want Riku around resurfaced in my brain, and I exhaled sharply. "Naminé, you have a boyfriend. It wouldn't be right if we shared a bed."

She tugged on her hair. "I-I know, but…"

"Did you hear what I just said?" I raised my voice a little, "It wouldn't be right. Plus, best friends don't _do_ stuff like that - _especially_ when one of them is in a relationship!" My eyes hardened a little. "Best friends don't...don't _hold hands._ Best friends don't cuddle up against each other. Best friends don't give each other prolonged hugs. Best friends don't _do_ the things you've been doing to me in the past few months!"

Salty woke up from my loud voice and darted his eyes between Naminé and I. He was probably trying to figure out why his mommy was on the verge of crying and why his daddy looked so vexed.

I didn't know why I was so angry. I guess everything she's ever done to me - holding my hand, hugging me a little too closely, kissing me on the cheek, leaving her hand on my face a little longer than she was supposed to - came rushing forward and I just couldn't hold it in anymore.

I didn't _want_ to be Riku's understudy. I didn't _want_ to be second-best. If being first was impossible I would've rather been nothing at all.

Her eyes widened a little bit and my frustration died as quickly as it came. Guilt tortured my insides when a fresh around of tears rimmed the bottom of her eyes, and I wanted so badly to take back what I just said - what I just _yelled_, actually. "I-I'm sorry," She stood up and rushed out of my room. She didn't even bother to bring Salty with her.

I cursed under my breath and tore my sheets away as I scrambled to my feet. "Wait, Naminé-" I jogged down the hallway, looking left and right for her. Don't tell me she left…

I heard my front door slam shut. Yep, thought so.

I banged my forehead against the wall and punched it afterwards in aggravation. I was so stupid. Why did I do that to her? I could've at least said it in a more polite, calmer way. She probably thinks I hate her now.

A soft mewl distracted me from my thoughts and I turned around; Salty was standing a few feet away from me with his white head tilted to the side. He noticed that we were the only ones in the apartment and he began to cry. A lump formed in my throat as I bent over to gather him in my arms, and I tried hushing him as I made my way back to my room. He was so small, so vulnerable.

"I know, I know," I sighed as I crawled into bed with him, "I miss her too."

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _Day Old Hate _by City and Colour._


	25. Afraid Of Being Alone

**Afraid Of Being Alone.**

I never realized how true the saying '_You never know what you have until you lose it'_ was until I spent an entire weekend without Naminé.

I mean I've spent tons of weekends without Naminé before I met her, but now that I _do_ know her and I spent both Saturday and Sunday without her...my life was just so empty. Maybe even pointless.

Well, at least I still had Salty.

Axel decided to pay me a visit on Sunday. We watched with slight interest as the kids played with the small white kitten, who seemed excited to have new playmates. I couldn't help but notice how less energetic the kids were, however; they knew Naminé wasn't coming to play with them today, and the thought broke my heart.

"I tried calling her this morning but she didn't pick up," I groaned and leaned into my palm, "I want to confront her but she told me if Riku did that she'd call the cops and put a restraining order on him. I'm pretty sure she'll do the same for me."

"Naw," Axel waved me off, "Naminé hates Riku at the moment. She thinks _you_ hate _her._ Therein lies the difference."

I shook my head. "I dunno, man."

The redhead leaned back against the couch and rested his arms on top. "Well, your fault for blowing up on her."

I groaned a second time and clutched my head in my hands. "Don't remind me." I heaved a defeated sigh. "It can't be _entirely_ my fault, though; I mean, I wouldn't have blown up on her if she didn't give me so many damn mixed signals!" I raised my head and threw my hands up in the air. "Snuggling, holding hands, kisses on the cheek...best friends don't do that! That's _couple_ stuff!"

On the floor Miyo was hugging Salty a little too tightly. The poor cat was struggling to wriggle out of her grip. I felt bad for him.

My male best friend shrugged his skinny shoulders. "I guess the only thing you really can do at the moment is keep trying to get a hold of her." He watched Koji playfully tug on Salty's ears. "How's Sora, by the way?"

"He should be coming soon. He said he had something to tell me." Right on cue the door rang and I scrambled to answer it. "Hey bro," I greeted him as I opened the door and stepped aside so he could come in, "How was soccer with Riku?"

The brunet looked a bit happier than when I last saw him on Friday, which was good. "It was alright, I guess," He rubbed the back of his head as he moved towards the TV room, "Riku's a little upset, though. I'm guessing Naminé's still peeved."

Axel chuckled as Sora sat next to him on the couch. "Duh. Who wouldn't be?" He stretched his arms. "Did Riku talk to you about it?"

"Kind of," My brother shrugged, "I mean...I explained how I was kinda bummed when he told everyone, and that he could've told a couple of people beforehand. He said he regretted not doing that because Naminé hasn't been responding to any of his calls." He turned towards me. "Any luck with you yet?"

"Nope," I sighed as I took a seat next to my brother, "She's not answering my calls either. I'm kind of worried now."

"If males are the stupid species females are definitely the _complicated_ species." Axel muttered. "No amount of experimentation and research will ever lead to fully understanding them. God." His phone began to vibrate, and he groaned. "That's probably Larx-" He blinked at the caller ID, "Nope...it's Riku." My brother and I exchanged anxious glances as the redhead held the phone up to his ear. "'Allo? Ah, Riku! So nice to 'ear from you!"

A loud feline cry erupted out of nowhere; either Miyo or Koji probably pulled on Salty's tail a little too hard. Sora immediately rushed over to his kids and I scooped Salty in my arms. I hoped Riku didn't hear any of that.

"Uh," Axel faltered for a second, "No, that was just the TV. Hm? Yeah, so I've 'eard. Nope. Hm, maybe. I can ask 'eem if you want and I'll call you back later. _D'accord,_ will do. _Adieu."_ He canceled the call and turned towards me. "Riku was asking about Naminé."

I raised an eyebrow as I comfortingly petted Salty's back, trying to get him to calm down. "What makes him think _Jacques_ would know anything about her?"

"He's probably desperate to get a hold of her," Sora pointed out, "So he's probably asking everyone who went to the party that night. He already talked to me about her."

"Yeah," Axel frowned, "He told me to ask _Ventus_ if he knew anything."

I swallowed hard. "So...er, what are you gonna tell Riku?"

"I'm gonna tell him that Ventus doesn't know anything either. This way we can stall him some more and give _you_ enough time to patch things up with Naminé."

I ruffled my hair. "Huh, I guess that makes sense." My frown returned. "But...what if I can't get a hold of her?"

"Well," Sora tapped his index finger against his chin, "You could always try talking to her as Ventus. She opened up to you twice and you guys are supposed to be complete strangers. Surely that's supposed to mean something."

"But what if she starts using _Ventus_ instead?" I exclaimed, and when my brother and male best friend stared strangely at me I sighed. "I have this theory that Naminé's just using me as a sort of substitute object of affection because she doesn't wanna be around Riku for now. It's the only logical explanation for doing all that couplely stuff with me."

"Unless she really _does_ like you." The redhead rolled his eyes. "Plus I don't think she's the using type. She doesn't even seem like the type who would do it without even realizing."

"But you'll never know," I protested, "She's the most unpredictable person I've ever met. I don't know what to think of her anymore."

Sora frowned. "But...you still love her, don't you?"

My chest began to ache for some reason. "Of course I do," I sighed, "I honestly think it's impossible for me to fall _out_ of love with her...unless she's secretly some kind of serial murderer or something. Psychos aren't exactly my type.

"I know this sounds ridiculous but I honestly think I was _made_ for that girl. I feel like I've been searching for her my entire life and I just wasn't aware of it until it was too late.

"Even if she never returns my feelings I don't think I can ever separate myself from her - even if it means I'm gonna have to put up with this whole _hard to get _crap for the rest of my life." I rubbed my eyes tiredly. "I...I may get frustrated with her every once in awhile but that doesn't mean I don't ever want to see her again. The second I stopped yelling at her I began to feel guilty. I really wanted to just rewind everything and pretend I never said that."

Axel let out a low whistle. "You're really serious for this chick, huh?" When I nodded dismally he laughed. "I really can't believe you're willing to torture yourself over this. There are other fi-"

"I don't _want_ chicks or fish!" I growled, "I want _her!"_

"Okay," The redhead resumed slowly, "Well, there are other _girls_ out there."

"But no one's ever captured me like she has," I complained, "I'm pretty sure this is a once-in-a-lifetime-thing. It's an opportunity I can't miss out for the world."

"But if this is an opportunity why is she so bent over another guy?" Sora pointed out, "Roxas, maybe Axel is right. You might think she's the one but...well, maybe she isn't. You have to know when enough is enough, man. I really don't want to see you get hurt anymore."

I shook my head stubbornly. "No, you guys just don't understand. I _love_ her. I've never loved anyone like this before. I've gone through my _entire_ life without feeling any sort of affection towards anyone else, and then this girl pops out of nowhere and suddenly I feel like I'm fifteen trying to deal with my first real crush. This _has_ to mean something, you guys." I frustratingly ran my fingers through my hair. "I can't give up. It's impossible to give up."

The brunet and the redhead exchanged uneasy looks. "Well," Axel sighed, "You seem impossible to sway at the moment so I guess the only thing I can do for you right now is ride this one out with you. Are you sure about this, Roxas?"

"More than anything."

My brother chuckled. "I guess I have no choice but to support you either. I guess you're right to an extent; I mean...you really haven't felt this way towards anyone before."

I nodded. "Exactly, which is why I can't let Naminé go. There has to be a reason for all of this."

Sora gave me a rueful smile. "Yeah, hopefully." He scooped his kids up and began to make his way towards the door. "Anyways, I better go."

Axel stood up as well. "Yeah, me too."

My brother gave my male best friend a sly look. "So how's Larxene doing?"

The redhead groaned. "Don't remind me. Honestly, if she was a nightmare before she got pregnant I have no idea what to call her now."

The brunet laughed. "Oh man, looking at you brings back terrible memories: weird food cravings at the strangest times, crazy mood swings-"

Axel wearily raised his hand. "I know, I know."

I ruffled the back of my hair. "Um, so I guess I'll see you guys later?"

"Yep," My best friend smirked, "Later."

I mussed up Koji's hair and kissed Miyo on the cheek before waving everybody off. When they were all gone I wandered back into the TV room; Salty was sitting on the couch, mindlessly licking his paw. I sat beside him and reached over to play with his ears.

If everything was back to normal Naminé and I probably would've gone out for a walk right now. Salty would've gone with us.

Salty mewled and crawled onto my lap. I scratched behind his ears and smiled when he closed his eyes. "It sucks without her around, doesn't it?" The kitten rolled over on his back and I rubbed his belly. "Hm...what to do, what to do…"

An idea struck me, and I stood up with Salty cradled in my arms. "Hey, do you wanna go for a walk?" When the kitten blinked up at me I grinned. "I'll take that as a yes."

I figured some fresh air would do some good for the both of us. When I left the building and stepped out into the sun I stared down at Salty again. "Er, do you need a leash or something? Do cats even have leashes? Do people even take cats for walks…?"

Salty shrugged his shoulders, and I sighed and placed him on the ground next to me. He let out a soft meow and began to trot forward, and I rubbed the back of my head and decided to follow him.

I knew people were looking at us strangely because I could feel their eyes on us as we strolled down the sidewalk. Salty was just a few paces ahead of me; it was good this way so I could keep an eye on him. Since he was so tiny he would be hard to find if I lost him.

Sometimes women my age or mothers with their children would stop me and ask if they could pet Salty. I was pretty sure the women were trying to flirt with me by how sickly sweet their voices sounded and the way they stood a little too close when they held my cat in their arms. Salty seemed to get the hint too, because after five minutes he'd start fussing and we'd make some excuse to keep walking.

What a smart cat.

Right after crossing the street Salty stopped dead in his tracks. I raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?" I asked, but before he could hear me he zipped off towards the park and my eyes widened in fear. "Hey! Salty, come back here!"

He could run fast despite having such short legs. I grunted when I skidded to a stop in front of the jungle gym, frantically looking left and right. I began to truly panic when he was nowhere in sight.

"Salty!" I cupped my hands around my mouth and began to yell his name while walking around. "Where are you?" I added in a lower voice, "And I thought you were smart…"

"Roxas?" My heart stopped beating for a good five seconds. I turned around and found Riku standing a few feet away with Salty purring in his arms. "Hey, funny seeing you here!"

I gave him a sheepish smile. "Er, I see you've found my cat."

Riku jostled Salty in his arms. "So _this_ is Salty!" He chuckled and rumpled the fur on the small kitten's head. "I've heard a lot about you, you little rascal."

I began to grow nervous for some reason. "I guess Naminé's told you all about him."

"Yeah," He frowned, "Though I haven't talked to her all weekend. She's mad at me."

Hm… "Oh...yeah, Naminé told me what happened."

"Getting the silent treatment from your girlfriend is the worst." Riku moved to sit on a nearby bench and I went to follow him. "Talk about making me feel like a total jerk. I guess I deserved it, though." Salty nuzzled his head against his chest. "We've been fighting a lot, actually."

I raised an eyebrow; now _that_ was something I wasn't expecting. "Really?"

He sighed and nodded. "She keeps saying how I never make time for her, and now that I think about it it's kinda true. I've just been so busy with work lately, and now that I'm moving to Radiant Garden in a year I have to work even harder." He shook his head. "I don't want to lose her, though. I really meant it on Friday when I told her I loved her."

My heart painfully clenched together, and I awkwardly coughed into my fist. "Erm, maybe she just needs time."

"That's what everyone's been telling me, but to be honest with you I feel like I don't _have_ enough time to fix everything." Riku groaned and passed Salty over to me so he could clutch his head in his hands. "A year is a long time but I feel like if I don't fix it now I'll never get a second chance. She doesn't know how much I need her. She's...I don't know," He laughed a little, "This might sound corny but...Roxas, I honestly think she's _the one."_

I really wanted to leave now, but I couldn't think of a good enough excuse. "W-what makes you think that?"

"I dunno - she's...she's just everything I've ever wanted in somebody, I guess. I mean, look at Sora and Kairi: they've been together since they started college, right? I'd always look at them and think, 'Wow, I wonder if I'll ever find a love like that', and I did! Whenever I'm with Naminé everything just _feels_ right, y'know? Like everything's falling into place. When I first saw her the only thing I could think of was, 'Oh, there you are. I finally found you. Where have you been hiding all this time?'" He laughed again. "Cheesy, I know, but that's honestly the way she makes me feel."

I found it both eerie and depressing how Riku and I felt exactly the same way towards one certain person.

The only difference between us was that Riku was so much more ahead of me, and his goal was attainable. Possible.

"But you're probably right," Riku interrupted my thoughts, "She needs time to cool off. It's not smart to reason with an angry person anyway. I'm actually just making my way back from her place, but she wouldn't answer the door." He scratched the side of his head. "I had a feeling she'd be with you, but seeing as we just ran into each other at the park she probably just didn't want to talk to me."

I gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sure she feels the same way, you know. In the beginning she wouldn't stop talking about you."

I wanted to laugh bitterly to myself when his eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah, she'd just keep going on about how perfect you were. It got annoying after awhile, but I let her do it because I could tell she was happy." I sighed. "Just...just keep trying, Riku. Don't give up on her. She wouldn't want you to do that." I noticed Salty had fallen asleep and I stood up. "I better head home. The little guy's sleeping."

"Yeah," The artist stood up and patted me on the shoulder. "Thanks for listening, Roxas. Naminé was right when she said you were a good friend."

I gave him a sad smile. "I try to be. Later, and good luck." I turned on my heel and began the walk back to my apartment with Salty snoozing peacefully in my arms.

Riku really loved Naminé, didn't he? His whole schpheel on how he felt about her probably destroyed what was last of my self-esteem. I felt like all the things I told Sora and Axel earlier were for nothing.

I took my time walking back home. There was nothing waiting for me there anyway.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _I'm Lost Without You _by blink-182._

_This chapter's a little short, I noticed =\ oh well, haha. Thanks to all who've read, reviewed, favourited and alerted so far!_


	26. Out Of Your Way

**Out Of Your Way.**

I figured it would be awkward at work on Monday seeing as Naminé still wasn't talking to me. Every now in then I'd peek over the top of my computer to see if she was walking past my office or something, but I'd always come up empty.

As the week dragged on by there wasn't that much of a change. The only time I saw Naminé was in the morning, when I'd see her walk from the elevator to her office or Xemnas' office. Sometimes I'd see her during lunch but she looked like she was trying very hard to avoid me so I never attempted a conversation. Every time we met eyes she'd immediately look away as if nothing happened, and my heart would sink lower into my stomach.

It probably would've been easier to just walk up to her and tell her that I _didn't_ hate her, but whenever I mustered enough courage to do it I'd think back to Riku and the things he said in the park and I'd feel insignificant and unimportant all over again.

I thought Naminé would at least have the courtesy to ask me about Salty. In case she forgot he was _her_ cat too. She doesn't even know how bad he misses her, how loud he cries for her at night and how much I empathize with him.

"Still gettin' the silent treatment, eh?" Demyx, Axel and Larxene were lounging in my office during our lunch break on Wednesday. The dirty blond shrugged and placed his hands behind his head. "Women...I don't know why you guys bother."

Axel rolled his eyes. "As if being attracted to guys would be any better. I personally think everyone's equally irritating."

Demyx' cheeks were flushed a light pink. "I don't like guys in that way!"

Larxene snorted before digging into her Jamaican beef patty and a tupperware bowl full of pierogies and sour cream. "Then why do you think women are such a bother?"

The dirty blond crossed his arms. "Okay, maybe I just worded it out wrong. I just favour other things more than relationships."

"That's what I said _before_ all of this crap happened," I muttered behind my laptop, "And _now_ look."

Demyx grinned. "That's because you _thought_ relationships weren't for you. I _know_ they're not for me."

Larxene finished her food in a heartbeat and moved onto her next dish: sliced pineapples. "Or maybe it's because he's fully accepted the fact that no one would ever want to date a loser like him." When her and Axel burst out laughing Demyx began to throw a tantrum, and I watched it all unfold with slight interest.

"Hey," Axel's voice caught my attention and I turned to look at him, "I asked Riku to hang out this weekend."

My eyes widened. "And why exactly did you do such a thing?"

My redheaded friend shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "Dunno. I figured since Naminé isn't talking to the both of you you'd have something to relate with."

I rolled my eyes. "I already told you I talked to him yesterday, and technically Naminé isn't mad at Ventus so we wouldn't really have anything to relate to anyway!"

"So why don't you try getting a hold of Naminé as Ventus, then?" Larxene suggested before stuffing her mouth with a pierogi, "I can't believe you've never thought of that in the first place."

"Because if I used my cell or my house phone Naminé would instantly recognize the number, obviously," I countered, "And I think she'd find it weird if a guy she hardly knew randomly called her up one day. If anything I'd be freaking her out - especially when she's not talking to her boyfriend. She'd probably think I'd be trying to move in on her or something."

"But isn't that what you're trying to do?" Demyx asked.

"Technically yes, but not as somebody else!"

"Ah, I think this hangout with Riku will do some good anyway,"Axel waved me off, "He probably needs some cheering up or something."

"You're not gonna try and get him drunk again, are you?" Larxene raised an eyebrow.

"No, no. We'll just try to stay on his good side."

My eyes dulled. "We've always been on his good side; it's not like we've done anything to piss him off."

"Yet." Axel pointed an index finger upward. "It's not like we've done anything to piss him off _yet."_

Demyx scratched his head. "So does that mean we're _going_ to piss him off eventually?"

"Duh - I mean, our main goal is for Roxas to steal his girl. Of course he'll get pissed."

"I'm not going to _steal_ her-" I protested, but Axel shot me a glare and cut me off.

"Really, Roxas? Then how else do you plan on getting Naminé? You had the opportunity when she got mad at Riku, but you went and screwed it up for yourself. Now we're back go square one."

I hung my head. "I didn't mean to scare her away. I can fix this, I know I can. I just have to talk to her and clear things up."

"You can do that right now, you know." Larxene pointed out, and I flushed.

"N-no, not now. I…I don't think now's the right time."

Axel groaned and smacked his forehead with the heel of his palm. "At this rate you'll never get the girl."

"Let's...let's just wait until we hang out with Riku, alright?" I sighed in exasperation, "I think Naminé needs more space to figure out stuff. I don't want to interfere or anything. She needs time to herself."

My best friend shook his head. "Well, if you say so."

When I got home I tended to Salty. He got bored easily, especially when I wasn't around to entertain him during the day so whenever I got home after work he got a little over-excited.

"Whoa!" The second I opened the door the small white cat seemed to have pounced out of nowhere and straight into my arms. I chuckled as he eagerly pressed his front paws on my chest to nuzzle his furry head against my cheek. "I'm happy to see you too, buddy. Are you hungry? C'mon, let's go get you something to eat."

As I prepared Salty's dinner I couldn't help but notice how the miniscule kitten kept pawing at my leg. I glared down at him. "I know you're hungry but you gotta wait a bit."

Huh, did he just shake his head?

I knelt down to his level. "Er, what is it? I thought you were hungry."

Salty nudged my shin with his forehead before walking out of the kitchen. I raised an eyebrow and raised a hand to my hair before shrugging my shoulders and following him down the hallway. "Where are we going…?"

He stopped in front of the door to my room, laid a miniature paw on it and glanced over his shoulder to blink up at me. He meowed, and the cuteness was enough to paralyze me.

"U-um, you want me to go inside…?" When he meowed again I nodded and pushed the door open. I walked inside slowly with one eyebrow raised; hm...everything looked normal…

Salty meowed a third time; he was sitting on my bed with his body facing my nightstand. Both of my eyebrows were raised when I noticed a semi-large jar sitting right underneath my lamp.

Wait, that meant someone broke into my house…

"Who was here?" I asked my cat as I sat next to him; when he mewled I rolled my eyes, "Right, I forgot I don't speak _catinese."_ I picked up the jar and analyzed it; when I noticed what was inside I nearly dropped it.

The jar was _full_ of paper cranes. They were folded in different sizes and different colours.

My head immediately snapped towards Salty, who was trying to reach for his ears. I scratched them and he calmed down somewhat. "Was...w-was Naminé here?" I managed to choke out.

That couldn't be possible. The jar wasn't here last night, and it wasn't here this morning before I left. The only time she could've brought the jar was when I was at work, but I saw her at the office today…

Unless she decided to come here during her lunch break…

I placed the jar on the mattress and lifted Salty up so we met at eye-level. "It _was_ Naminé, wasn't it?" Salty blinked back at me. "It _had_ to be her! No one else makes these paper cranes…"

But how could she have broken in?

I scratched my head as I picked both Salty and the jar up and walked back to the kitchen. I probably gave her one of my spare keys in the past; I vaguely remember doing that. That would be the only probable explanation. Naminé doesn't even look like she knows _how_ to break in.

I mulled over the jar some more as Salty ate his dinner. If this really was from Naminé did that mean she knew about the small blue paper crane I took from her house that night? The thought made my face heat up.

Even so…

What did it all mean?

Salty's mewls interrupted my thoughts; he somehow appeared on the kitchen table. I narrowed my eyes at him. "What did I say about climbing on the-_hey!"_

He approached the edge of the table and deliberately tumbled onto my lap. I pushed my chair back in surprise and watched as he writhed around, trying to reach for one of my pockets. "What in the world are you doing?"

Salty managed to poke one of his paws into my pockets - the one that just happened to have my phone in it. I caught it right before it touched the floor.

"Geez," I glared at the cat, who was peering up at me with innocent blue-grey eyes, "What were you trying to do?"

He pawed at the keypad of my phone. Once he was done he withdrew his paw and continued to blink up at me with those large eyes of his.

Naminé was right: he was pretty smart for a baby - for a _cat, _actually.

"You want me to _call_ her?" Salty nudged the hand that was holding my phone, and I grimaced. "I don't know...I don't think it's the perfect time to do that. She obviously doesn't wanna talk to me." Salty turned around to face the jar of paper cranes. "Okay, well...if she _really_ wanted to talk to me she would've given me that jar in person!"

Salty's ears flattened against his head and he hissed menacingly at me. I rolled my eyes. "Oh, c'mon…"

I messed up my hair and stared down at my phone. Naminé's name was glaring back at me, and a lump formed in my throat. I stared back at the jar of paper cranes and the lump quadrupled in size. I don't know why, but I felt like this _wasn't_ the best way to confront Naminé about this. There had to be a better way…

I stood up so quickly I almost knocked over my chair. Unfortunately I forgot Salty was sitting on my lap, but he was quick enough to leap onto the floor so he wouldn't crash. "Sorry." I apologized sheepishly as Salty angrily pawed at my leg. When he saw me take my keys out of my pocket his ears pricked upwards and he sat attentively on his hind legs.

"I figured this would be a better approach," I shrugged as I tucked the jar under my arm and made my way towards the front door; Salty was casually padding beside me, "I mean, what do I have to lose?" I briefly knelt to his level and affectionately ruffled his fur. "Thanks, buddy. I'll be back as soon as I can, okay? Be a good boy while I'm gone." I tapped his pink nose lightly before bustling out of my apartment.

The elevator ride seemed longer than usual. When I finally stepped out into the parking garage I stopped for a moment; the sound of rain pelting the outdoors caught my attention, and uneasiness began to fill my stomach. Rain...this wasn't a good sign…

I really don't know how I became so superstitious.

I hastily clambered into my car and shoved the key into the ignition. Why I was rushing, I had no idea. I speedily backed out of my parking space and quickly made my way onto the road.

The pavement was slick with rain, and it was storming so bad I could hardly see an inch in front of my windshield. I set my wipers to the fastest speed possible but it was still difficult to see. Because of the heavy rain there was traffic everywhere I went, and it only made me more impatient. It was going to make this fifteen-minute drive turn into an hour-long drive…

Fifteen minutes after leaving the parking garage I ended up wedged between cars. I really had no choice but to wait until it was my turn to move, so I shifted my gear to neutral and turned up the radio. I doubted I was going to be able to move for a long time, anyway. I should've brought Salty with me…

Missing someone was such a strange feeling - well, it was strange to me at least. I've only been away from Naminé for a week and my craving for her was so bad that I couldn't sleep at night.

Everything I did oddly reminded me of her. The food I ate reminded me of the times we would make dinner together after work, and the music I listened to would remind me of the time we would dance in my television room. Salty was just a living, breathing reminder of her so whenever I saw him I'd miss her a little bit more.

Sometimes I'd imagine touching her. Sometimes I'd pretend her hair was brushing against my cheek. Sometimes I swear I could smell that rainy scent on her skin.

I think I'm going crazy.

I wondered if she was going to be willing to talk to me now. I mean, if this jar really did come from Naminé that _had _to mean she wanted to talk, right? And this jar _must've _come from her because she was the only person I knew who could fold paper cranes.

But what did the paper cranes even mean in the first place…?

The car from behind honked obnoxiously, and I jumped in my seat. I shook my head and shifted my gear, letting the car inch forward a bit before hitting the gas.

I was over-thinking again, wasn't I?

But who _wouldn't_ over-think this? I mean, I just came home from work to find a jar of paper cranes sitting on my nightstand! Obviously it would be something to worry about!

I smacked my forehead with my palm before turning a corner. I hated arguing with myself.

I was coming up on Naminé's street now. My heart was thumping nervously against my ribcage as I slowed down a bit. It was a little hard to distinguish her house through the endless sheets of rain.

There was a lone figure standing on her lawn with no umbrella, and I raised an eyebrow. I parked not too far away from Naminé's house and squinted at the figure, and when I realized it was Riku my eyes grew wide and my hands lost feeling.

How long had he been standing there? He looked completely drenched.

He must've been _really_ desperate to get Naminé to forgive him. I frowned and raked my fingers through my hair as I watched him through my window. Thank God my windows were tinted.

Judging by his slightly slumped posture he must've been standing there for awhile. His back was turned towards me so I couldn't see his face, but I could see that his arms were limp by his sides and his knees were slightly bent as if he was growing tired of standing. I felt sort of bad for him.

I kinda wanted to invite him to sit in my car but I suddenly remembered that I was supposed to be _against_ him and not _supporting _him...then again I still felt bad...I mean, he would've probably invited me to his car if I was in his situation. Riku was just perfect like that.

My eyes wandered to the jar of paper cranes sitting beside me, and my eyes widened again. Wait a minute, wasn't _I _supposed to be standing out there with him, or something? I wanted to get Naminé to talk to me too…

That punk beat me to it!

I groaned in aggravation and threw my head back against my seat. Riku was always two steps ahead of me. How was I going to win Naminé over like this?

I heard muffled voices, and my attention reverted back to Riku. Naminé was standing by her front door, still protected from the rain. She was shouting at him, and judging by the way he was bent over Riku was shouting too. They were arguing.

Hm, this was interesting. If only I knew what they were saying…

I rolled down my window just a crack, but it was raining so hard it was nearly impossible to make out their voices. It all sounded like gibberish and distortion to me. I rolled up my window and shook my head. Guess I had no choice but to watch without sound.

Naminé must've been really angry, because after a good five or so minutes of arguing she stepped out into the rain; she probably did that without thinking properly. I was surprised she didn't recognize my car parked just down the road a little, but maybe the rain was so thick it made it hard to see properly.

She walked all the way to where Riku was, on her front lawn. In seconds she was just as wet as he was. They were so absorbed in their argument that they didn't even seem to realize their faces were literally just inches away from each other. They seemed to just be spewing words at each other since their mouths were moving so quickly. Every once in awhile Riku would spread his arms out, and Naminé would make a bunch of hand gestures. It was kind of amusing to watch.

It made me think back to Sunday when Riku told me that they fought a lot. Were their fights always this intense, this passionate? If they were, wasn't that a bad thing? I mean, I knew a fight every now and then meant your relationship was healthy but if it was often...well…

All of a sudden they just stopped. I raised an eyebrow as I watched them stop bickering. It happened so quickly; it was the strangest thing I've ever seen. They both straightened up slowly and stared into each other's eyes. They sort of just stood there, frozen and rigid, Naminé staring up and Riku staring down. They stood there for a long time...maybe ten or fifteen minutes. I'm pretty sure they weren't talking because I didn't see their mouths moving.

Riku was the one to move first. He just sort of threw his arms around her and pulled her in, and she immediately reacted by grabbing the back of his head. They locked lips while clinging to each other for dear life. The rain continued to fall on them, soaking them even more. After what seemed like an eternity they broke apart and pressed their foreheads against each other. They were laughing now.

Couples…

Riku wound one arm around Naminé's shoulders and she placed her arm around his waist, and they made their way inside her house together. Once the door closed a wave of an emotion I couldn't describe swept over me. I felt like I just failed a big test and learned that the world was going to end at the same time.

Without thinking I reached for the jar and stepped out of my car. I gradually made me way over to Naminé's doorstep - there was no rush since I knew for sure she wasn't going to talk to me now - and gently placed the jar on the concrete ground. I swiped my bangs from my eyes and made my way back to my car, not caring how wet I got.

When I was back inside I was so wet my hair was flat and smooth against my forehead. I brushed it back a bit so it stood up a little, and I restarted my car. My head was completely empty the entire drive home.

When I got back Salty was waiting for me by the front door. I sort of expected him to. "Hey buddy," I picked him up and petted his head, and he purred and pawed at my wet dress shirt. "Yeah, it's raining pretty bad outside."

He blinked up at me. He wanted to know what happened.

"Er, yeah," I mussed up my damp hair as I walked towards my room, "Didn't go as well as I planned. Riku got there before I did...and I'm assuming she's too busy to talk to me right now. I guess this means they made up, hm?"

I changed into drier clothes and made my way to the kitchen. I wasn't really hungry, but I might as well eat something for the sake of something to do.

I usually hated feeling depressed and rejected and whatever else I felt whenever I knew Riku was with Naminé, but what I hated even more was when I didn't feel anything at all.

That was me right now. I seemed incapable of feeling anything at the moment, and I detested it.

I wanted to feel _something. _Anything to remind me that I was human.

It was human to be hurt from all of this, wasn't it?

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot _by Brand New._


	27. Hook And Sinker

**Hook And Sinker.**

I wasn't in the mood to go to work for the rest of the week.

I really didn't want to see Naminé's chipper face. I didn't want to hear her singsong voice. I didn't want to look at the way there was a slight spring to her step.

If I didn't have such horrible timing _I_ would've been the reason why she was so happy, but noooooo…

"Gee," Axel frowned once I explained what happened last night, "That's...that's pretty harsh, man."

"Harsh?" Demyx snickered, "That's an understatement, dude."

"Pretty much." Larxene agreed.

I groaned and clutched my head in my hands. "What am I doing with my life? Everything's revolving around this girl...a girl I have no chance with! Why am I wasting my time with her?"

"Because you've told us numerous times before that it's impossible to fall out of love with her, even if you tried…?" Demyx answered uncertainly.

I laughed bitterly. "Yeah, that's it. I'm stuck in this vicious cycle forever. I'm doomed to live a life full of rejection and low self-esteem. I'll forever be living a lie, a life tainted with miscommunication and-"

"Oh boy, he's getting poetic," The redhead stood up and walked over to my chair, where he began shaking me by the shoulders, "Snap out of it, would you?"

I did what I was told and stood stock-still. "I'm okay now."

Larxene shook her head before shoving a sliced peach into her mouth. "Why do you always go all Edgar Allan Poe on us when you hit rock bottom?"

I shrugged and thunked my forehead against my desk. "I don't know."

My male best friend smirked. "He's a musician who writes his own songs, that's why." I raised my head to look at him; he had his arms crossed and was leaning against the side of my desk. "Look, man - just because they kissed and made up doesn't mean all hope is lost. Riku already told you they've fought a bunch of times before. Why should this be any different."

I frowned and ran a hand through my hair. "I guess…"

"Plus, she's in a better mood now so wouldn't it be the perfect time to talk to her?" Axel suggested, and my frown deepened.

"I dunno...I mean, I left the jar on her doorstep last night. She had to have gotten it by now. Wouldn't she have confronted me about it, or something?"

"What if she didn't know it was from you?" Demyx asked.

"She _had _to know," I countered, _"She_ was the one who gave me the jar in the first place! No one else makes those paper cranes except for her!"

"Romeo's got a point there," Larxene pointed out, "There's a bunch of those little things scattered around her desk."

"See?"

The redhead sighed. "Alright, well...hm." He tapped his finger against his chin. "There's gotta be an explanation for all of this."

"Yeah," I snorted, "She's just playing around with my feelings because she knows she can."

Larxene raised a blonde eyebrow. "Sometimes I'm not even sure whether you love or hate her."

I threw my hands up in the air. "I love her of course, but sometimes I just can't help but feel like she's using me or playing around with me."

"She definitely can't be playing around with you," Demyx scratched his head, "I mean, no one would be this cruel just for fun...unless they're Larxene."

She gave him a too-sweet smile. "Thanks, pumpkin."

Axel patted my shoulder. "Well, just don't act too bitter tomorrow. We're hanging out with Riku, remember?"

I banged my head against my desk again. "Thanks for reminding me."

He laughed. "It's not like Naminé's coming - well, actually...now that they made up I guess we'll never know for sure until the time comes."

"Thanks."

When I got home that evening Salty had his head poking into a box of cookies. This cat…

"Every time I catch you doing something it's always because you're sneaking something to eat," I muttered as I pulled his head out of the box, "Geez, Salty…" I brushed the crumbs away from his face and placed him on the floor. "You know, you should be cherishing your young years. When you get older your metabolism's gonna get worse and you'll regret eating all that food."

Salty merely meowed and reached for my legs. I rolled my eyes.

"Never mind…"

When I reached my room I half-expected another ambiguous gift from Naminé but I came up empty. My shoulders dropped in disappointment when I only found my lone blue paper crane on my nightstand, and I sighed heavily as I made my way over to my bed.

How could she sneak into my house, leave me a jar full of paper cranes and _still_ manage to ignore me when she sees me?

Out of all the mixed signals she's ever given me this one was the worst.

"Why can't you just be direct with me," I muttered to no one in particular as I flipped the paper crane over in my hands, "Just tell me you don't want to see me ever again. Get it over with. Stop pulling me around. I'm not a toy…"

A soft mewl alerted me from my reverie and I caught Salty making his way over to me. I gave him a sad smile before lifting him onto my lap. "You miss her too, don't you?" I scratched behind his ears and he closed his eyes. "It's not my fault she's being so confusing. I mean, she has a boyfriend. Her and Riku have been going out all this time and the only way I find out is when he makes this sappy confession at a party. She never tells me anything."

I heaved a sigh and lifted the rest of my body onto my bed. I let Salty lie on my chest. "I don't know how I managed to get myself into this mess. It's her fault for being so, so..._likable._ Bah, women…" I slowly rubbed the top of Salty's head. "Why did I even bother…"

The night dragged on (I really didn't do much except whine to Salty, who ended up falling asleep five minutes in), and by the time it was Friday afternoon I was so drained from my bad mood I was ready to drop dead.

"Can someone _please_ tell me why I'm seeing Riku today?" I groaned as the usual trio traipsed into my office.

"I really don't know, to be honest with you," Axel frowned, "But it's kinda too late to cancel plans now. Sorry."

I pushed my fingers through my hair. "Let's just make this short and sweet, okay? He's the _last_ person I want to see right now."

"Hey, no biggie," Demyx grinned, "We're just meeting him for dinner and that's it."

"You're lucky you guys are going," Larxene grumbled; she turned to momentarily glare at Axel, who was absentmindedly rubbing his arm, "It's all your fault."

The redhead leaned into his palm. "Everything's always my fault."

I saw Naminé a few times today but as usual she pretended I didn't exist. It only made me look even less and less forward for tonight.

Axel and Demyx accompanied me home, and once we got there we got straight to getting ready - except Demyx, who grew fond of Salty very quickly.

"You never told me you got a cat!" The dirty blond exclaimed as Salty jumped onto his lap, "Wow, he's a tiny one."

"Yeah," I raised my voice a little since I was still in the bathroom dying my hair, "Apparently he's a little smaller than other kittens his age but it shouldn't be that bad. I like him small, anyways."

"Why? Is it because you use him as a cuddle buddy at night?" Axel snickered, and when my face turned red he laughed louder. "Poor cat. I bet he doesn't even know he's being used as a substitute."

My cheeks heated up again. "A-a substitute for what?" When Axel's laugh only grew louder I rolled my eyes.

Twenty minutes later I stepped out wearing navy blue skinny jeans, a red, black, blue and white plaid flannel shirt and my usual black fedora and black glasses. Axel was hitting Demyx over the head, forcing him to stop playing with the cat so he could get ready.

"Y'know," Axel said as Salty crawled onto his lap, "You don't have to go if you really don't want to."

I shrugged. "Like you said it's too late to change plans. Plus," I reached underneath my hat to ruffle my hair, "My hair's already red. Might as well."

When Demyx was finally ready (half an hour later) we took his car to the restaurant. It just so happened to be a ten-minute walk from Naminé's house…

"Hey!" Riku was waiting for us by the front of the restaurant. He pulled Axel - Jacques - in for a one-armed hug and shook me and Demyx's hands. "Great to see you guys. Naminé's waiting inside."

Of course. "N-Naminé's here?" I spluttered, and Riku chuckled.

"Yeah, I know...surprise, surprise. We managed to patch things up yesterday," He explained as he led us to our table, "So it's all good."

Axel playfully nudged Riku's elbow. "Ah, so...you guys _made up,_ if you know what I mean?"

My eyes widened in alarm, but luckily Riku laughed it off. "No, no - I'm old-fashioned when it comes to that. We kept things PG-13."

Demyx huffed. "Bo-ring."

Huh...I figured they would've had a hot night of make-up sex or something. Doesn't that always happen after a bad fight?

So I guess she was still a virgin…

I shook my head quickly. Hopefully nobody saw the crazy blush on my face.

"Jacques, Mateo!" Naminé's tinkly voice filled my ears and my breath hitched when I spotted her bounding from her seat and scrambling in our direction. After hugging Axel and Demyx she turned towards me, and I couldn't help but notice how bright her smile was. "Ventus," She leaned in for a hug, and when I could smell the rainy scent of her hair my heart wanted to explode, "I'm so glad to see you." The silver bracelet was back on her wrist, gleaming underneath the lamplight.

After not being with her for a week her mere presence was overwhelming. My insides felt like they were swelling with helium and my head was ready to pop off my shoulders. I sort of missed this feeling.

I nervously tugged on my collar. "I-I'm glad to see you too." I noticed her eyes lingering on me for a moment, and then she suddenly burst out giggling. My face grew warmer. "Um, is there some...s-something wrong?"

She quickly shook her head and gave me a soft smile. "Sorry...I sorta drifted off there." She grabbed my sleeve and hauled me over to the table, forcing me into the seat across from her. "How have you been?"

I didn't know I was fidgeting until Axel punched my thigh. "U-uh, pretty good I suppose. And yourself?" My eyes flitted over to Riku, who was busily conversing with Demyx, "I-I see you and Riku...erm, fixed things."

I was surprised when she gave me a grim smile. "If that's what you want to call it." When Riku moved to sit beside her she returned to her sweet disposition, which I found even more surprising.

From the way they were acting yesterday in the rain I figured things would've been back to normal between them...

The dinner wasn't anything special, really; we just carried on with casual conversation and whatnot. Naminé kept oddly quiet for the majority of the time, though, and I couldn't help but feel worried. There obviously was something I was missing from last night, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. I mean, they freaking made out in the rain. Wasn't that the ultimate makeup method or something?

"Ah!" Naminé pushed her chair out, and everyone's heads turned towards her; somehow she managed to knock over her wine glass, and it spilled all over her part of the table. A few scarlet droplets managed to cling onto her dress. She cursed under her breath and stood up quickly. "Sorry guys, I'm a bit of a klutz today. I'll be right back...hopefully I'll be able to clean this up." She hurried to the bathroom.

Riku stood up as well with a confused expression etched all over his face. "Er, I should check up on her." He scurried off too.

Demyx, Axel and I exchanged baffled looks. "You told us they made up last night." My redheaded best friend said with one fiery eyebrow raised.

"I'm pretty sure they did," I scratched my head, "Last time I checked swapping spit in the rain equals making up, or something romantic-related."

"Naminé wasn't saying much," Demyx pointed out, "It seemed like something was bothering her."

"Maybe to _Riku_ everything's alright, but to _her_ it isn't." Axel frowned. "Y'know how women are."

"Do you think we should follow them?" I suggested.

"Nah," The redhead leaned back in his chair, "Give 'em a few more minutes."

Demyx reached over to Riku's side of the table and forked one of his pot stickers. "Oh well - more food for me."

Fifteen minutes later we finally decided to see what was going on.

"I'm pretty sure it doesn't take fifteen minutes to scrub off a wine stain…" Demyx muttered as we rose from our seats.

"It's really hard, actually," Axel replied, "But even so, Riku's been gone for awhile. They're most likely together somewhere."

We heard angry voices coming from the next room, and we exchanged looks of alarm. "That must be them!" I hurried down the hallway.

Sure enough Naminé and Riku were at it again. They stood within inches of each other, hollering at each other's faces. Demyx, Axel and I hid behind the wall but made sure our heads poked out from the doorframe a little so we could see what was going on.

"What's gotten into you lately?" Riku hissed, "You were fine just yesterday!"

"Was I, Riku?" Naminé countered, "Maybe you should actually bother to pay attention to your surroundings instead of just looking at the surface of things!"

He threw his arms up in the air. "I have no idea what you're talking about-"

"Exactly!" She accused acidly, "You _never_ know what's going on with me anymore! You don't even take the time to catch up with me! All you _really_ care about is your art and your career. You don't realize that there are _other_ important things in your life too!" Tears began to brim her large blue eyes, and my chest ached for her. "You didn't even notice how much you hurt Sora and I until I pointed it out to you…" She tore her bracelet off and whipped it at him. "This is the _last_ time I'm giving this back to you."

His eyes widened in slight shock as he cradled the piece of jewelry in his hands. "Look, I said I was sorry. I talked to Sora about it last weekend and-"

"Do you really think a simple apology's gonna suffice?" Naminé laughed a bitter laugh and shook her head. "You let me believe you wanted to be with me-"

"And I do, Naminé," Riku was beginning to sound desperate now, "More than anything. That's why-"

"If you _really_ wanted to be with me why did you suddenly decide to move to a completely different city without telling me beforehand?" She cried, "If you _really_ wanted to be with me you wouldn't have done that! You would've talked to me about it! We would've worked something out!"

Several people who walked past them tried not to look, but I could tell they were stealing glances. I couldn't blame them.

"I already told you I wasn't moving for another year - isn't that more than enough time to work something out? Naminé, please." Riku was begging now. His hands lowered and his eyes softened. "I don't want to lose you."

_"Lose me?_ You practically threw me away." She spat. "You threw Sora away too - the only two people who apparently _mattered_ to you." She shook her head and swiped the tears from her eyes. "I have nothing more to say to you." She turned on her heel and walked towards the front door.

"Naminé, wait-" But she already slammed the door on his face.

"Ouch." I heard Axel whisper.

"Totally." Demyx agreed.

I frowned. "I should go after her."

Axel smirked at me. "Goin' in for the rebound, eh?"

I glared at him. "That's not what I meant, idiot." We made our way back to the table, and I noticed her purse hanging over her chair. "Plus, she forgot this."

"Huh, well...I guess that's a valid reason." The redhead rumpled his hair. "Okay, well...you go after your girl, then. Demyx and I will take care of Riku. Poor guy's probably shaken up anyway."

I smiled. "Thanks. I'll give you guys a call tonight."

Demyx frowned. "Wait...how are you gonna get home if you're not with me?"

I shrugged as I returned to the foyer. "I'll find a way, don't worry." I noticed Riku sitting on the floor with his back against the wall and his face buried in his hands, and I couldn't help but feel bad for him.

I guess he sort of deserved it, though. What Naminé said was true.

When I stepped outside the first thing I noticed was how heavily it was raining. I didn't care how wet I was getting; the only thing I could think about was Naminé walking home in this terrible weather, in a horrible mood _and_ in a thin dress. This wasn't good.

The walk to her place wasn't long but it was long enough to get soaked. I blinked through the wet gloom, trying to remember which way to go. I tucked her purse underneath my plaid shirt and jogged down the road a bit, hoping I was going in the right direction. I was the only person outside - well, at least that was what it looked like. Either that or the rain was so thick it was nearly impossible to see anything.

"Naminé," I called into the storm, "Naminé? Naminé!"

As I continued walking I couldn't help but feel angry towards Riku and what he had done to her. I figured a guy as perfect as him would have the brains to acknowledge the fact that she would be hurt by this. I mean, who wouldn't?

The person whom you thought was _the one_ suddenly breaks it to you that they're moving to a different city. What do you do?

Sure, he wasn't moving for another year but that didn't mean Naminé didn't have the right to be upset. That was probably Riku's only valid excuse.

"Naminé? Naminé!"

I recognized her street, and I sighed in relief when I realized I really was going in the right direction. I ran further down until I reached her house; I found her just walking up the steps.

"Naminé!" I called as I scrambled up to her door, but the rain was pounding so heavily it must've been hard to hear me. She closed the door just as I reached her front steps. Me and my timing.

I knocked on her door. My fist was trembling from the cold rain. "Naminé," I called again, "Open up." No answer. She probably thought I was Riku again.

"I'm not Riku, by the way." Maybe that would help.

Still no answer.

I gritted my teeth. "Naminé, if you don't open this door I'll-" When she finally did open the door my eyes widened. "Uh…"

She was completely drenched from the rain, and her eyes were red from crying. Her platinum blonde tresses were plastered to her cheeks, which looked paler than usual. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "V-Ventus…? What are you doing-"

I pulled out her purse from underneath my shirt and shyly handed it over to her. "Uh, you forgot this." When she wordlessly took it from me I nervously ruffled my hair and turned around. "I-I'll see you-"

"Wait." She grabbed my arm and pulled me inside, and my pulse quickened. "You're not going back out there - not when it's raining like this." She turned to look at me, and I felt her eyes lingering on my collar for some reason.

I awkwardly cleared my throat and her eyes returned to mine. "N-no, really...I'm alright. It's not that far of a walk back to the restaurant anyways. Jacques and Mateo are probably waiting." I pulled off my glasses for a bit to wipe the rain off the lenses.

"Then let them wait," She protested, "Or have them pick you up here. I'm _not_ making you walk in this disaster." She turned around and jogged up the stairs. "I'll go get you a towel."

My hand reached underneath my hat to tousle my damp hair. "Er, okay. T-thanks." I awkwardly rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet for a few minutes before deciding to wander into the kitchen. I hoped she didn't mind.

It's only been a week or so since I've last been here but for some reason it felt like I haven't stepped foot in her house in years. The familiar homely feeling of her kitchen was a nice feeling, and it was nice to be here again despite the fact that she _still _wasn't talking to me.

I walked over to the counter and noticed how the paper cranes were missing. I wonder what she did with the jar…?

"Ventus?" Her voice came from the foyer, and my eyes widened.

"Coming-" I rushed out of the kitchen and nearly collided into her at the doorway. My face went completely red when I noticed how our noses were bumping. "Uh, I'm-"

She dropped the white towel in her hands and gently reached upwards to cradle my face. Her eyes were so big from this close, and I suddenly forgot how to breathe. She pulled me closer so that our foreheads touched, and she closed her eyes. Her back was against the wall.

What was going on?

"N-Naminé-" She hushed me and opened her eyes. She was staring at me strangely, like she was trying to figure something out.

Then, oh so slowly, she reached for my hat and pried it off. She twisted her thin fingers through my hair, brushing through it until the worst of the rain had shaken off. It stood up like it always did, and despite the fact it was a rusty red I'm pretty sure she knew who I _really_ was at this point because she was giggling.

"Er-" I stuttered but she hushed me again. She lowered her hands to my glasses and pulled them away from my eyes. She stared at me for a good couple minutes, drinking me in.

"Of course." She whispered; I noticed the tears clinging to her eyelashes and I grew worried. She laughed again and tossed my glasses to the side somewhere.

She knew.

But for how long?

"I-it's a long story," I tried explaining myself but before I could finish my sentence she pulled me in and crashed her lips against mine. My eyes widened and my body felt like it was going through shock, but after a minute or two I grew used to the overwhelming feeling and grasped her waist.

The months I've spent pining for her, yearning for her, craving for her...it felt like it was all rushing out of me at that very moment, and I was so afraid it was going to end sooner than I wanted it to - well, actually I never wanted it to end...but that was besides the point.

The girl I loved was kissing me. She kissed me first!

We broke apart after awhile, but the minute my lips left hers I moved to her collarbone. I tasted her, trailing slow kisses up to the skin just below her ear. She moaned against the side of my head and I felt her fingers curling around my hair. I could hear the rain pelting the outside of her house.

"R-Roxas," She gasped, and I pulled away a little to look at her. She touched my forehead with hers for a second before taking my hand and leading me up the stairs. My throat was closing up from nervousness.

When we reached her room she pulled me over to the bed, and we fell on it together. I moved on top of her to capture her lips with my own, and she responded by groaning against me and arching her back so that her body touched mine. Heat pooled in the pit of my stomach, and judging by the pink hue spread across her cheeks she was feeling the same way.

"Naminé," I brushed the hair away from her eyes and gave her a swift kiss on the forehead, "I'm not gonna...make you do anything you don't wanna do."

She slowly nuzzled her head against my neck. "It's always been you," Her lips ghosted across my skin, "From the very beginning...hasn't it?"

"Yeah," I whispered, "It has. It's always been me."

She swallowed and looked up at me. Her eyes were bright and the blush on her face seemed more prominent. "Then…" She wrapped her fingers around my collar and pulled me closer, "Roxas, please…" She raised her hands to the sides of my head and kissed me again, and I happily complied.

The storm continued to rage outside.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _You Got The Girl _by The Tremulance featuring Lights._

_Phew...about time, eh? Haha._

_600+ reviews! Thank you so much for your continued support!  
_


	28. What I Couldn't Find

**What I Couldn't Find.**

The sun blinded me the next morning.

I groaned and rolled over, pulling a pillow over my head. When I inhaled the scent of the sheets my eyes snapped open.

This wasn't my bed.

I sat up straight and blinked the fatigue from my eyes. It took a few minutes for my brain to recognize Naminé's room.

_Naminé's room._

My brain reeled back to the events of last night: I went out for dinner with Axel, Demyx, Riku and Naminé. Riku and Naminé got into a fight. I followed Naminé home in the rain. She revealed that she knew Ventus was Roxas. We had a heavy make-out session. She took me to her room.

Then...

I peered underneath the sheets to look at myself, and my eyes widened.

Did I just deflower a _taken_ girl?

I know I've been with a lot of girls in the past but not once have I ever taken their virginity. This was the first time...and out of all times it had to be with a girl who had a boyfriend - a boyfriend who _wasn't _me.

As much as I loved Naminé I knew it was wrong to sleep with a girl who was currently seeing someone. I just made Naminé cheat on her boyfriend.

I was _the other guy._

Great.

Wait a minute…

I turned to my side and I raised an eyebrow when I came to the realization that I was _alone_ in a room that wasn't mine. Where did Naminé go…?

I scrambled out of bed - a bed that _wasn't_ mine - and pulled on my boxers. I didn't even bother with the jeans since they were so tight; I figured I'd deal with them later.

Suddenly the scent of food cooking filled my senses, and my head turned towards the door. Naminé was making breakfast; it smelled like pancakes.

I ruffled my hair - which was still red, by the way - and shuffled out of her room. I slowly made my way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Naminé was humming to herself while hovering over the stove. Her back was turned to me so she didn't notice me coming in. The only article of clothing she was wearing was _my_ plaid shirt. Her hair looked a little more tousled than usual.

Even though I couldn't see her face I was undeniably attracted to her. She was irresistible.

I slowly approached her from behind and wrapped my arms around her waist. I pressed my face into her neck, and I smiled when she giggled. I kissed her soft skin and inhaled her scent. I could get used to this.

"And good morning to you too." She murmured before turning off the stove, spinning around and nudging the end of her nose against mine. I pecked her on the lips and she giggled again. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Yes," I briefly let go of her so she could bring the pancakes over to the table, "But when I woke up this morning I temporarily forgot where I was and what happened last night."

Naminé shook her head. "Why am I not surprised?" I sat across from her and watched her spread Nutella across her food. "Must've been the rain."

I ruffled my hair before digging in. "Maybe." When I heard her laughter again I looked up. "What?"

"I can't believe you actually went through the trouble of _dying_ your hair," She chortled before daintily placing a forkful of pancakes into her mouth, "You went all out, didn't you?"

My eyes narrowed, though my face was a bright red. "It wasn't _my_ idea!"

She smiled. "I figured it wasn't. You're not smart enough to think up of such an elaborate plan."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks."

Once we finished eating and cleaning up she reached up to tangle her fingers in my hair. "Y'know, you make a cute redhead but I like you better as a blond."

I gave her a sly smirk. "So...what do you suppose we do, then?"

She laughed and suddenly let go of me, skipping down the hallway. I rolled my eyes and chased after her, running up the stairs and grabbing her by the waist when we finally reached her room. She pulled me into her bathroom and shut the door behind us.

"Let's wash that dye out, shall we?"

Forty-five minutes later we were sitting in her bathtub. It was Naminé's crazy idea to have a bubble bath after, er..._scrubbing the dye out of my hair_, so that was how we ended up there. I sat with my back against the wall of the tub, and she was sitting in between my legs.

"Er," I tucked my head into the curve of her neck and watched her play with the bubbles, "S-so...you knew all this time that it was me?"

"I kinda did and I kinda didn't," She answered, "I mean for the first few minutes I really did think you were some awkward redhead, but the more I hung out with you I began to notice little tiny details - plus _Jacques _and _Mateo_ weren't exactly the best disguises."

I shook my head. "I knew they'd be easy to spot, but what exactly did you notice about me?"

The blonde shrugged her small shoulders. "I dunno. There's...there's this..._feeling_ I get whenever you're around. You just give off this certain vibe, and it makes me recognize you anywhere." She paused for a minute. "That was the first thing I noticed."

"So," I smirked, "If I ever get a sex change you'd still be able to recognize me?"

She laughed. "Probably...though I really can't picture you as a woman." She wrinkled her nose. "I'd rather not, actually…" I tickled her sides and she shrieked with laughter before splashing me with water and bubbles. "Oh," She added once we settled down, "And another thing: you broke character quite a few times."

I flushed. "Er, can you think of any examples…?"

"Plenty. You'd change your voice for a bit, but then sometimes you'd forget and you would go back to sounding like yourself. Also, Ventus never came to my house before. How would he know where my house was last night if he ran all the way here from the restaurant?" She nodded over to the tiled floor, where my plaid shirt was lying. "And that shirt...you wore it when I invited you to dinner with Riku."

I blinked. She really knew how to fake being oblivious... "Really?"

She giggled and kissed me on the cheek. "Yes, you did. Didn't you notice me staring at your shirt a couple times the other day?"

"Well…" I frowned, "If you noticed it wouldn't that mean Riku would've noticed too?"

"Nah - boys aren't very observant when it comes to those sorts of things."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks."

She reached for my arms and threw them around her waist. "I thought you said relationships weren't your thing."

"Believe me, I really thought they weren't." I nuzzled my head against hers, and I smiled when she laughed softly. "Then you came along and changed everything."

She flushed and threw her eyes downward. "Sorry."

I squeezed her. "There's no need to apologize; you can't imagine how much you've impacted me, Naminé. I can't picture life without you."

She stayed silent for a few seconds before moving around to cuddle against me. "Oh, there's one thing I don't understand."

"And what's that?"

"That night your dad had an accident...you were with me, but Riku had a guys' night out with Jacques, Mateo and _Ventus._ How on earth did you pull that off?"

I swallowed nervously and squeezed her tight. "Um, before I begin my explanation I just want you to know that the whole thing about my dad...it never really happened."

She yanked herself out of my arms and swiveled around to gape at me. "What?"

I ruffled my wet hair - which was now blond - so that it stuck up again. "Well the accident with my dad actually _did _happen...ten years ago…" When her eyes widened even more I cleared my throat. "But yeah, um...I never told you that I have an _older_ brother who looks almost exactly like me. It's weird because Sora and I are twins but-"

"You have _another_ brother?" Naminé shook her head in disbelief, "And he looks _exactly _like you?"

I gave her a rueful smile. _"Almost_ exactly...and his name is Ventus. I...er, took his name."

She buried her face in her hands. "Oh my…" She moved back to her former position with her back against my chest, and I held her close to me. "So he went out with Riku and them while you stayed with me...but why did you have to make up that story about your dad?"

I raked my fingers through my hair. "Well, Axel initially wanted to get Riku drunk so he could spill some info on your relationship with him...but it turned out that _Axel_ was the one who got wasted instead. Ven and Demyx were panicking because they didn't know what to do with him, so I had to go in and help out."

Naminé giggled much to my surprise. "That was the week he and Larxene weren't talking to each other, right?"

"Yep."

"No wonder." She turned around to kiss me softly, and I kissed her back. She smiled against my mouth and clutched my head in her small hands, and I held her steady with my hands firmly on her waist.

When we broke apart a few minutes later I began to shift around. "C'mon, we better get out."

She glanced up at me. "Why?"

I smiled before moving in to plant a kiss on her forehead. "Salty's waiting for us."

I managed to force myself back into my jeans, but not without having my phone squeeze out of my pocket. I realized I had _seventeen_ missed calls, and all of them were from Axel and Demyx.

"Uh oh." I muttered.

Naminé grabbed my phone and giggled at the list of missed calls. "They must've been worried."

"The probably thought I died in the storm or something," I rumpled my hair, "I guess I should give them a call…"

"Let them think you're dead a little longer," The shorter blonde giggled as she pulled me down the stairs, "This weekend...you're all mine."

I gulped. "Um, should I be nervous?"

She gave me a sort-of devious smile. "I dunno. Maybe."

I didn't like the sound of that.

"Wait." She disappeared into the den for a second. When she came back she was holding the jar of paper cranes. "Whew, I almost forgot this."

I raised an eyebrow but I didn't bother to comment. I figured we'd have more time to talk about it later.

She drove us back to my place, and the second we stepped inside Salty pounced on us like I expected him to. When he scratched my arm I wasn't surprised either, because if I were him I'd be angry too.

"Salty!" Naminé scolded as she tore the tiny white cat away from my bleeding arm, "Why did you do that for?"

"Probably because I left him by himself last night," I muttered as I made my way over to the kitchen sink, "I mean...if my owner left me on my own without any food or entertainment I'd be pretty peeved too."

Wait a minute…

I turned around and narrowed my eyes at Naminé and Salty, who were playing with each other in the television room. "You abandon him for a _week_ and he welcomes you back with open arms, yet when I leave him for a day he hacks the crap out of my arm? How does that make sense?"

Naminé turned to gape at me, offended. "I didn't _abandon_ him! You're making it sound like I left him in the middle of nowhere!"

I rolled my eyes and forced myself on the couch next to her. "You kinda just bolted out of here. I count that as abandoning."

Salty mewled and nestled himself against her shoulder, and I couldn't help but feel jealous. "It's not my fault, you know," She replied indignantly, "You made me think you hated me."

I sheepishly rubbed the back of my head. "Well…it's _your_ fault for sending me so many mixed messages, therefore building up months' worth of frustration and confusion."

She frowned and cradled our cat in her arms. "Okay, you got me there." She pouted. "But...well, it's _your_ fault for telling me you never wanted a relationship in the beginning!"

"Well, you could've gotten the message and just left it at that." I rolled my eyes.

"I tried!" She exclaimed, "You don't know how hard I tried…" Her voice lowered considerably, "But in the end I still ended up falling in love with you."

I smirked. "Therefore everything's your fault."

Naminé rolled her eyes before crawling towards me, and I pulled her into my embrace. Salty gingerly grazed his paw over the scratch he made on my arm, and I petted him. "Oh, so _now_ you feel bad for hurting him," The blonde giggled as she jokingly poked the cat's nose, "You're so silly."

I absently played with her hair as she continued taunting our cat. I couldn't help but worry over what was going to happen in the future: Riku was going to eventually try to get Naminé to forgive him, and he's going to wonder what happened that day _Ventus _went running after his girlfriend in the rain. I was pretty sure they didn't break up or anything last night…

"Naminé," I breathed, and when she glanced upwards to blink at me I sighed. "W-what...what's going to happen to you and Riku now?"

She crinkled her nose in disgust. "I'd rather not talk about him right now."

"But you can't ignore him for long," I protested, "He's _still_ your boyfriend whether you want to admit it or not. You're cheating on him right now...with me. That isn't right."

"Well...if you don't think it's right why are you letting me cheat on him with you in the first place?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Because _this,_" I gestured to our current position, "This is what I've always wanted! If I wasn't so oblivious to my own feelings Riku would've never been in this picture, and we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"Mess? There _is _no mess!" She stood up and glared at me; Salty jumped out of her arms.

I shook my head. "Yes there is, Naminé - if we let this continue it's going to get worse. You can either do one of two things: you can break it off with Riku and be with me, or we can stop seeing each other like this and you go back with Riku."

She laughed bitterly. "Do you really think it would be easy for me to make such a decision?"

I raised an eyebrow and stood up as well. "So are you saying that you still feel something for Riku?"

She hesitated for a moment. "O-of course I do. I didn't get into a relationship with him for nothing, you know…" She shook her head. "But...he hurt me. He hurt me bad, and I...I just can't bother with him right now."

"So what is _this?"_ I gestured to the both of us, "A one night stand? A _fling?_ Am I just someone to run to when you can't _bother_ with Riku?"

Tears were rimming her eyelids now. "Of course not! I would never think of you that way, Roxas! I told you…" She sniffled, "I love you."

I couldn't help but soften up at her words. I slowly approached her and held her close to me, rubbing her back and letting her rest her head against my shoulder. "I love you too, Naminé...I love you more than anything, but we can't do this if you're still with Riku," I could feel her tears warming up my shirt and I swallowed the lump in my throat, "It's not fair for him, it's not fair for me...it's not fair for the three of us."

The way she was clinging to me for dear life only made my guilt even worse. "R-remember how you got mad at me once because I couldn't s-stop talking about Riku?"

I dropped to the couch again and pulled her in. Salty crawled onto her lap and curled against her thigh. "What about it?" I whispered into her ear.

"Be honest w-with me - why were you s-so angry?"

I inhaled deeply. All I could smell was the scent of her hair. "Do you really wanna know?" When I felt her nod against me I pressed my cheek against the side of her head. "I was intimidated."

"I-intimidated?"

"Yeah. I mean...the way you talked about this guy, Naminé - he seemed inhumanely perfect, y'know? He was an artist, an athlete, a bookworm...everything anyone _could_ be. How could I ever compete with that?

"That's why Axel came up with the crazy disguise idea: he wanted to dig up dirt on Riku. We wanted to see if he wasn't as perfect as you made him look. I guess...I guess the only reason why I agreed to do it was because I wanted to find one loophole...one little imperfection that would slightly improve my chances at winning you over." I shook my head and laughed a little sadly. "I think I was completely shut-down on that day I had dinner with you two, however - the day I wore this shirt."

Naminé sniffled again. "W-why?"

"Because I got to talk to him face-to-face. I wasn't hiding behind anything - I got to interact with him as _me._ I got to see his perfection firsthand. It was that night when I came to the realization that maybe...maybe he really _was_ perfect, and that I had absolutely no chance of ever getting you to see how much you mean to me. I was so afraid I was going to be stuck as 'the best friend' forever."

The blonde shook her head vehemently. "But now you know he _isn't_ perfect, Roxas, and that you definitely _do_ have a chance. I don't want you to give up," She cried and pressed herself against me, "Please, I don't want you to leave me…"

I lowered my mouth so that it was next to her ear. "You know I'll never do that, but...I don't want to make you an unfaithful person either."

"If you really don't want to," She muttered, "You would've kicked me out of your apartment a long time ago. You wouldn't be holding me like this."

I sighed against her hair. "I know I'm being a hypocrite but...I can't help it. I don't want you to be unfaithful but at the same time I want to show you how much better I am than him...how more _fitting_ I am for you than he is.

"I want to be yours, Naminé...more than anything. I want to make you happy every day. I want to be the reason behind your laughter. I want to be your everything." I squeezed her as she began to cry some more. "I was searching for you, Naminé. I was searching for you my entire life and I didn't even realize it until it was too late. Now you're someone else's girl, and there's nothing I can do except be a hypocrite. When I'm a hypocrite you can be _my_ girl...even if it's just for a little while."

I could feel a fresh round of tears staining my shirt, and she hugged me tighter. "Roxas…"

Goddammit...I hated it so much when she cried - _especially_ when I was the reason behind it all. I rubbed circles against her lower back and spread swift, light kisses over her forehead, nose and cheeks. "C'mon," I stood up and pulled her with me by the hand, "Let's get some ice cream."

She rubbed her nose and gave me a small smile. "O-okay." She bent over to pick Salty up. "C-can he come with us too?"

I laughed. "Of course he can," I tugged on the waistband of my jeans, "But...lemme change into more comfortable jeans first…"

I guess it wasn't right for me to put the spotlight on Naminé so soon. I could sort of see where she was coming from - I mean, I couldn't really expect her to simply choose between two people right away.

But at the same time the fact that she was actually having difficulty choosing between Riku and I was a bit unsettling.

I didn't want her to hesitate between the both of us; I wanted her to choose _me._ She already knew how I felt about her and I knew she felt the same way...and if she just continued her relationship with Riku they'd just end up arguing every other day.

Naminé kept quiet as we walked to our usual ice cream shop and the park; she pressed herself against my side and held Salty close to her the entire time. I felt sort of bad but I didn't know how to make her feel better. I just reminded her that she had to choose between two people. That wasn't something you could get over in a heartbeat.

"Hey," I threw an arm around her shoulders as we took our usual seat at the bench across the playground, "Don't dwell on it, okay? You don't have to make a decision right away."

She nestled her head against my neck. Salty continued to lick the remains of our sea-salt ice cream in the nearly-empty cup. "I know but...I don't want to choose. It's so hard."

"If you think about it too much you might end up making the wrong decision." I rubbed my nose against her hair. "You'll know the right answer when you see it. Just give yourself time - it'll come to you when you least expect it. Trust me."

She grasped my shirt with a small fist. "B-but what...what if it doesn't end up...being you?"

I felt a little discouraged, but I kept my resolve and squeezed her lovingly. "Then I'll have to respect your decision.

"I think...if you truly love someone the best you can do for them is to let them be truly happy, even if that means they don't end up with you." I laughed a little. "We'll always be friends, you know. It'll hurt in the beginning, yes, but eventually...we'll be friends again."

She tightened her grip around me, and I exhaled sharply when my ribs began to hurt. "But I don't _want_ to be friends," She growled stubbornly; out of the corner of my eye I caught Salty blinking at us, "I want to be with _you…"_ Her voice faltered a little, "B-but at the same time...I want to be with _him."_

I sighed and closed my eyes. "But you can't have everything, Naminé."

Her arms slackened around me. "I-I know. I hate it."

"So do I." I whispered back.

When we walked back to my place we lounged around for the rest of the day. We avoided the topic of Riku and anything related to him for obvious reasons and instead focused on what was _currently_ going on: just me and Naminé. We played with Salty, watched TV, made dinner and watched a movie before it was time for bed.

While Naminé was getting ready in the bathroom I noticed she had placed the jar of paper cranes on my nightstand. Curious, I took the jar into my hands and slowly unscrewed the cap. I overturned the jar and watched each paper crane roll onto the mattress.

I spread them out evenly and frowned at them. There _had_ to be a meaning behind all of them; I mean, if there wasn't a meaning Naminé wouldn't have wanted to bring it over.

I took the biggest-looking one - it was made out of sandy yellow paper - and turned it over in my hands. I examined it closely, squinting at it and feeling the texture of the paper in between my fingers.

What did she want me to see in these little things?

I held the piece of origami against the light, and my eyes widened.

I could see some words scrawled on the inside of the crane.

Why didn't I think of this before…?

I unfolded the crane as quickly as I could without tearing the paper. When I finally had it completely unfolded I laid it flat against the mattress. There were two single words written in the centre of the paper, followed by a small coloured-in heart:

_His hair._

His hair…?

My brow furrowed. What did that mean?

I grabbed a grey-coloured one and hurriedly unfolded it. There were another two words and a heart:

_His awkwardness._

My frown deepened. Were these little messages appointed to _me…?_

I shook my head and continued to unfold the rest of the paper cranes. They were all describing me in short sentences:

_He's a musician._

_ His smile._

_ The way he smells _(I automatically sniffed my arm after reading this)_._

_ His laugh._

_ His hugs._

_ He sang me to sleep _(I blushed when I read that one; I didn't know she was actually listening to me that night).

All of them had little corny messages like those, and once I read through all of them my face was probably so hot I could've cooked something on it.

Wait...there was one left.

I gently gathered the small blue paper crane in my hand. I almost felt guilty to unfold it; it took skilled hands to fold something so intricate out of something so small.

The creased blue square fit in the palm of my hand. In the centre were two miniscule words and the usual coloured-in heart:

_His eyes._

"That was another thing." Naminé's soft voice came from the doorway to the bathroom, and I looked up to address her. She was wearing one of my t-shirts; it was so big on her it nearly fit like a dress.

"What?"

She giggled and sat next to me. "Your eyes, silly. They gave you away almost instantly." I felt her hands on either side of my face, and she looked up to meet eyes with me. "I can never, _ever_ forget the way your eyes look." She caressed my cheek, and I leaned into her palm. "Even though you and Sora are twins your eyes are different."

"Y-yeah," I murmured, "He and Ven have the same eyes."

She smiled and rubbed the tip of her nose against mine. "I'm glad you're the only one, then." She moved even closer so that our mouths were millimetres apart. She closed her eyes and smiled. "When I saw you as Ventus for the first time I knew you looked familiar…" She lifted herself onto my lap and wrapped her legs around my waist. I supported her weight by holding her close to me, and I rested my head against her collarbone. "Then I saw your eyes and it just came to me: it was you...all this time…"

The exact time I decided to lift my head to look at her she moved in to kiss me, as if our movements were rehearsed. Our bodies were in sync with each other as I lowered the both of us onto the bed, not really caring if we were crumpling the tiny pieces of coloured paper below us. I groaned when I felt her fingers skim through my hair, and I tentatively reached underneath her shirt to run my fingers down her bare back. She shivered in delight, and I smirked against her lips.

The first thing she said to me when we broke apart was, "Is that all?"

I raised an eyebrow as I reached upwards to tuck a stray lock of platinum blonde hair behind her ear. "What are you talking about?"

Naminé giggled and rolled off of me. She collected the pieces of paper, stuffed them into the jar and placed it on the nightstand before crawling underneath the sheets. "Do you just wear your boxers to sleep? Nothing else?"

I rubbed the back of my head, slightly embarrassed. "Uh, yeah…why?"

She shrugged as I pulled her into my arms. "Nothing - I was just wondering. You're cute in your underwear anyways." She laughed at my flustered expression and snuggled closer towards me.

I rolled my eyes. "Goodnight, Naminé."

After a few minutes of silence I figured she had already fallen asleep, but then she spoke up. "Roxas?"

"Yes?"

"C-can...can you sing to me again?" Her voice was adorably shy.

I chortled. "The same song?"

She nodded. "Yes please."

I kissed her forehead before inhaling slowly. The melody started off low in my throat, humming softly and rubbing her back along to the rhythm of the song. Naminé stirred in my arms, yawning and nuzzling her head against my neck as I continued murmuring the lyrics into her ear. By the time I hit the chorus for the second time she was fast asleep.

I smiled and brushed the hair away from her eyes. "Goodnight, Naminé." I whispered again before craning my neck to kiss her forehead a second time.

I fell asleep in seconds.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter Inspiration: _Dreams _by The Cranberries._

_If you can't remember the song Roxas sang to __Naminé last time, it was Mayday Parade's _I Swear, This Time I Mean It.


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